Dick Durbin: “this past Saturday, January 16th, marked the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Baltic Charter. I attended that…”

“this past Saturday, January 16th, marked the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Baltic Charter. I attended that historic ceremony at the White House and our efforts that day were important not only to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia but to the U.S. as well. This is an issue dear to me; my mother came to this country from Lithuania in 1911 and I've visited this country and the Baltic region several times. Now Mr. President, the Baltic Charter solidified the international relationship between the U.S. and the Baltic nations by defining the political, economic, and security relations between our countries. It affirmed a shared commitment to promoting harmonious and equitable relations among individuals belonging to diverse ethnic and religious groups. It also stressed the promotion of close cooperative relationships throughout the Baltic region, on such issues as economics, trade, the environment, and transnational problems like the bilateral relations between the Baltics and its neighboring states. President Clinton welcomed the Baltic nations' efforts to improve relations with Russia. The four presidents involved discussed developments in Northeastern Europe, and President Clinton pledged more U.S. involvement in that region's development and cooperation with its neighbors. The Baltic Charter does not commit the Baltic states to NATO membership.”