Supratusi savo garbę : kodėl ir kaip Islandija pripažino Lietuvą?

Abstract

Objective and subjective factors, such as state in- terests or personal connections of politicians, have an impact on politics. This claim gets support from the fact that Sweden was the first country to take interest in the activities of the deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who were representing Lithuanian Movement for Independence as well as Latvian and Estonian Popular Fronts. On the initiative of the Swedish Embassy in Moscow, the deputies of the Supreme Soviet A.Čekuolis, B.Genzelis, R.Ozolas and K.Prunskiene had a private visit to Stockholm in the summer of 1989. There they met with the leaders of all parliamentarian fractions of the Swedish Parliament and had a public discussion on the possibilities of declaring Lithuanian Independence. After the Declaration of Independence, it was Iceland that openly supported our aspirations. An important role in this process has to be attributed to the brothers Hannibalssons. Arnor Hannibals- son, Jon Boivin Hannibalsson's (the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland) brother, had studied in Moscow, and since then he has been in close contacts with Lithuania. When the Independence of Lithuania was proclaimed, he organised meetings with influential people of Iceland. Jon Boivin Hannibalsson, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, took an active part in this campaign. Iceland presented the issue of Lithuania in various international organisations, e.g. the United Nations or the Council of Europe. After the January 13 events became known to the world, the brothers Hannibalsons came to Vilnius (on January 19, 1991). They personally observed the determination of Lithuanians to live in a sovereign state. On February 2,1991 the Althing (the Parliament of Iceland) passed a Resolution on the Restoration of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Lithuania. In February 1991 the Nordic Council of Ministers opened its centre in Vilnius. The Nordic States initiated the setting up of the Commission of the European Council, the aim of which was to analyse the January 1991 events in Lithuania. The Report of the Commission was discussed on July 7, 1991 in Helsinki, where the Assembly of the European Parliament took place. The Assembly hosted the delegation of the Lithua- nian Parliament which consisted of V.Landsbergis, the leader of the delegation, and two members, B.Genzelis and G.Šerkšnys. The Lithuanian dele- gation was accepted by the President of Finland.