Archbishop hints Russia cannot be trusted regarding Treaty of Tartu
Archbishop Urmas Viilma criticized Russia's careless attitude toward promises it has made during his 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu sermon given at the St. John's Church in Tartu.
Despite the fact that the signing and entry into force of the Tartu Peace Treaty was but a brief moment in history, its historical significance for the past and future of the people of Estonia is immeasurable, just like the 100 years that have passed from its signing constitute a brief moment in the passage of time," the archbishop said.
"Our national independence – considering the harsh fate of many other small nations – is not a given until the world has countries led by leaders who do not adhere to promises made in peace treaties for all eternity, not just a brief moment," Viilma said, pointing to a statement by the Russian embassy from Friday.
Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said that the Estonia of 1918-1940 lost the status of a subject of international law when it joined the Soviet Union that also rendered void the Treaty of Tartu because both signatories found themselves part of a single subject of international law. Zakharova also said the Tartu Peace Treaty is not included in the United Nations' list of valid international agreements.
"As we know, the agreements of the coalition against Hitler (Soviet Union, USA and the U.K.) on the reconstruction of Europe after the war made in Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam did not call into question the Baltic states joining the Soviet Union," Zakharova explained, according to whom modern Estonia is a new country formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union – unlike Russia that is the Soviet Union's successor.
"Based on this, the Treaty of Tartu is void and belongs in history," Zakharova said.
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Editor: Marcus TUrovski