I'm actually reading
EUSSR : the Soviet roots of European integration of famous Russian dissident Vladimir Bukovsky. There is interesting digression about Baltic countries in this book. During his visit in Moscow (October 1989) chief of
Socialist International a German politician Willy Brandt (former Chancellor of Western Germany, SPD - social democrats, also
Peace Nobel Price laureate) in discussion with Soviet leader Michail Gorbachev raised the question of Baltic states.
- Quote :
- "I'm worried about situation in Baltic states. I have constant contact with our friends in the north..."
At this point Bukovski claims that Brandt was talking about his Scandinavian friends from Socialist International. Their supposed aim was to convince democratic opposition in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to abstain from separatist ambitions.
- Quote :
"Our influences in this region are not big. However I want to assure you that we will try to use them to pacify it. If necessary we will tell some people that questioning federation with the Soviet Union is like playing with fire."
Then Bukovski state that fortunately indeed his influences were not too big.
This is very interesting subject. You can disagree with author interpretations but still this discussion was in Soviet archives. So the subject is open for historians to analyze.
A question to our members from Baltic states is whether somebody in your countries raised this case. Books, maybe some articles? You could check out this subject by "Google" in your native languages if you find a bit of time.
