U.S. Security Assistance for Estonia
Abstract
Imagine that your country has recently regained independence and, for the fifty years prior to regaining its sovereignty, had been a most unwilling member of the world's largest empire. Additionally, the seizing of your country in the spoils of World War II was never officially recognized by the United States because the annexation occurred with total disregard for your nation's right to exist. Your country also held the dubious distinction of being one of only three members of the League of Nations that did not become members of the United Nations. In the half century of occupation the demographics of your country changed dramatically. Prior to annexation, the country's native people comprised 88 percent of the population. Upon regaining independence, they were down to 61 percent of the population and only half of the people live in urban areas. It is now six years after independence and the democratically elected leadership of your country is clear on the path they wish to follow: that which leads to integration into all Western organizations. However, often less than friendly relations with your neighbor to the east, (including an unresolved international border and a Diaspora issue) make a clean break with the past problematic for all concerned) including the Western organizations. This story sounds familiar for many of the countries of the former USSR, and the reader could assume we are speaking about any one of the Baltic countries (who were the three League of Nations members that didn't survive to join the United Nations), but in this case we are talking specifically about the world in which Estonians find themselves today.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA500256
Entities
People
- Richard J. Anderson
Organizations
- Defense Security Cooperation Agency