Latvian diplomatic service in exile
Diplomatic missions of Latvia in countries that did not recognize the Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia | |
Headquarters | United States |
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Agency executives |
Part of a series of articles on the |
Occupation of the Baltic states |
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The Latvian diplomatic service in exile was the only governmental body of the
Background
Latvia was occupied on June 17, 1940, by Red Army troops and officially annexed to the Soviet Union on August 5, 1940 in the form of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
One month before the occupation, on 17 May 1940 the Cabinet of Ministers granted extraordinary powers to Kārlis Zariņš, Latvia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Mr. Zariņš was authorised to defend Latvia’s interests, supervise the work of Latvia’s representations abroad and handle their finances and property. This created a legal basis for the functioning of the diplomatic service in the absence of a legal government in Latvia.[1]
The United States never recognized the forcible and illegal annexation of the
The work of the diplomatic service was financed from Latvian gold reserves in foreign banks.[1]
Activity
During the occupation, Latvian diplomatic missions continued their work in Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.[1]
The Latvian diplomatic service regularly issued official statements regarding the illegality of the Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia as well as regarding Latvia’s right to restore its national independence. It was also protecting the interests of Latvian citizens abroad and the Latvian property abroad. In 1947 a joint communication on the occupation of Baltic states to the UN was sent by the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian diplomats abroad. The
On March 26, 1949, the US State Department issued a circular stating that the Baltic states were still independent nations with their own diplomatic representatives.[2]
In 1969, the Latvian Counselor to the US
Nevertheless, Latvia was not allowed to establish a
The Latvian diplomatic service in exile actively co-operated with organizations of the Latvian diaspora in joint efforts to keep Western countries from formally recognizing Latvia’s annexation by the USSR.[1] The existence of the exiled diplomatic service was another demonstration of the illegality of the annexation.
Transition of mandate after restoration of independence
The exiled diplomatic service of Latvia played an important role during the restoration of independence of Latvia in 1988 - 1990 and in ensuring the legal continuity between the newly independent Latvian state and the interwar Latvian Republic.[1]
Latvia's parliament officially restored the country’s full independence on the 21 August 1991 in the aftermath of the failed
Heads of the Latvian diplomatic service in exile
- Kārlis Zariņš (Charles Zarine) (1940–1963)
- Arnolds Spekke (1963–1970)
- Anatols Dinbergs (1971–1991).
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "ON GUARD FOR LATVIA'S STATEHOOD" Latvia's Foreign Service Staff in Exile During the Years of Occupation June 17, 1941 - August 21, 1991 - Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
- ISBN 9789024730049.
- ^ Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages at NASA
- ^ a b Hiden, pp. 63–64
- ^ James T. McHugh, James S. Pacy, p.101