SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1992-8720

By Senator Kreidler

     WHEREAS, The people of Lithuania endured a 51-year foreign occupation which resulted from the infamous Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939, and courageously resisted the imposed Communist dictatorship and cultural genocide attempted during this occupation; and

     WHEREAS, The people of Lithuania were able to mobilize and sustain a  non-violent peoples' movement for social and political change, known as Sajudis, through which, on February 24, 1990, they guaranteed a peaceful transition to independence by fully participating in the first democratic elections in Lithuania in more than half a century; and

     WHEREAS, On March 11, 1990, the newly elected Lithuanian parliament, fulfilling its mandate from the people of Lithuania, declared the restoration of Lithuania's independence and the establishment of a democratic state; and

     WHEREAS, The people of Lithuania, the elected leaders, and the civil servants of the government of Lithuania persevered in the building of democratic and independent institutions under conditions of economic blockade and armed assaults that persisted for seventeen months; and

     WHEREAS, In January, 1991, ten months after the restoration of independence, the people and government of Lithuania withstood an armed and violent assault against their democratic institutions by foreign troops; and

     WHEREAS, The people of Lithuania supported and secured the rights of a free press to flourish in Lithuania during the waning days of foreign occupation; and

     WHEREAS, Lithuania's successful restoration of democracy and independence was characterized by its use of non-violent resistance to an oppressive regime; and

     WHEREAS, The state of Lithuania, its democratic institutions and its people are threatened by the continuing presence of 80,000 foreign troops;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That even as we join the people of Lithuania in celebrating their independence day, that:

1.  We commend the people of Lithuania for their courage and perseverance in using peaceful means to regain their independence;

2.  We urge our representatives in the United States Congress to support Lithuanian's transition to a free market economy through humanitarian, technical and financial initiatives;

3.  We thank the United States Congress for its support of Lithuania's Parliament though the "Task Force in Support of Eastern European Parliaments," and urge continued support through technical assistance programs for other democratic institutions in Lithuania;

4.  We urge President Boris Yeltsin and the other leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent State to withdraw immediately, their armed forces  from Lithuania; and

5.  We urge the United States Congress and President George Bush to assist Russia and the other CIS nations in withdrawing their troops from Lithuania; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Lithuanian-American Community, Inc. State of Washington Chapter.