Vilnius, 23âÀ“25 May 2002

The Baltic Assembly,

having convened on 23âÀ“25 May 2002 in Vilnius, the Republic of Lithuania, for its 20th Session,

having discussed the enlargement of the European Union and new possibilities for the Baltic region, enlargement of NATO and contribution of the Baltic States to the Euro-Transatlantic security, as well as the development of information society in the Baltic States,

adopted the following documents:

1. Statement on Co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council;
2. Resolution on Co-operation with the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation;
3. Resolution on Agricultural Policy;
4. Resolution on the Promotion of Making Use of EU Support;
5. Resolution on the Role of Libraries in the Development of Information Society;
6. Resolution on Improving the Teaching of History;
7. Regulations concerning the Medal of the Baltic Assembly;
8. Regulations for Publishing the Works of the Baltic Assembly Prize Winners;
9. Decision on the Future Structure and Strategy of the Activities of the Baltic Assembly,

heard the Sworn AuditorâÀ™s Report on Financial Statements of the Baltic Assembly,

approved the 2001 Budget Report,

and decided that the 21st Session of the Baltic Assembly will take place on 12âÀ“14 December 2002 in Riga, the Republic of Latvia.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

STATEMENT
On Co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council

The Baltic Assembly,

stressing importance of intensifying and expanding co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council;

noting positive attitude and support of the Nordic countries towards integration of the Baltic states into the EU and NATO,

emphasises that the Baltic Assembly is especially interested in promoting practical co-operation and direct sharing of experience between the existing structural units of the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

RESOLUTION
On Co-operation with the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation

The Baltic Assembly,

underlining the geographic vicinity, historic-economic and cultural relations of the present Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation with other Baltic Sea countries, including the Baltic States,

and essential significance of closer ties among people and institutions of various countries, as well as the benefit of multifaceted co-operation in the Baltic Region;

taking into consideration forthcoming enlargement of the European Union,

calls on the Baltic States and other Baltic Sea countries to intensify their efforts in closer co-operation across the entire Region, and

the Duma of the Russian Federation and the Duma of the Kaliningrad Oblast to contribute to the co-operation of people, institutions and organisations of the Kaliningrad Region with the European Union and the Baltic States.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

RESOLUTION
On Agricultural Policy 

The Baltic Assembly,

noting that in the process of the negotiations on the integration into the European Union, the EU member states and candidate countries become partners in economic as well as political relations;

being of the opinion that it is essential that all the EU member states be accorded an equal treatment;

recognising a sufficiently important role of the agricultural sector in the economy of the Baltic States,

calls on the Governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and proposes:

in the framework of the negotiations for the accession to the European Union, to co-operate for achieving results suitable to the agricultural sector of the Baltic states, taking into account the existing agricultural production potential and orientation to the ecological production spheres, as well as the manifold role of agriculture for the development of society.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

RESOLUTION
On the Promotion of Making Use of EU Support

The Baltic Assembly,

taking into consideration the approaching membership of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the European Union;

noting the importance of the co-operation between the Baltic Sea Region states - the member states of the European Union and the candidate countries;

 with a view to strengthening regional integration, developing socio-economic co-operation and cultural exchange,

appeals to the Baltic Council of Ministers and the Governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and proposes:

1) to strengthen the co-operation of candidate countries and other Baltic Sea Region countries on the level of regional and local authorities;

2) to strengthen administrative capacities for the absorption of EU financial assistance;

3) to actively develop joint projects for the Small Project Fund within the framework of the Phare Cross-border Co-operation Programme, thus making more effective use of the support provided by the European Union;

4) to support EU initiatives aimed at cross-border, regional and international co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region, and propose to further include the Baltic States, prior to the end of accession negotiations, in European Union initiatives and programmes in which member states of the European Union participate.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

RESOLUTION
On the Role of Libraries in the Development of Information Society 

The Baltic Assembly,

realizing that the information gap may be bridged only by creating in conjunction with the EU a new model of society - information society;

seeking to broaden prospects for the development of the societies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to ensure access to information and increase possibilities of every individual to acquire education as well as enhance his capabilities in the competitive environment;

acknowledging possibilities of education for all and, through the development of the systems of continuous and constant education, encouraging every member of society to seek knowledge;

 emphasizing a special role of libraries in the storing, dissemination and creation of traditional and electronic information resources as well as virtual information, development of information skills of society and ensuring for all access to information,

calls on the Governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to appropriate necessary funds for the modernization of libraries so as to ensure their role in information society in actual reality as well as virtual reality.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

RESOLUTION
On Improving the Teaching of History 

The Baltic Assembly,

recalling the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, concluded on August 23, 1939, and its secret Protocols as a result of which Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania lost their independence in 1940;

emphasising that the nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fought against the occupation and annexation by the Soviet Union in various ways, seeking to restore the independence of their States, and that on 13 January 1983 the European Parliament adopted the Resolution on the Situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania which endorsed the requests of the Memorandum of 45 nationals of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania made public in 1979;

recognising the importance of these dates for the history of resistance of the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian nations;

proposing to the parliamentarians of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to solemnly commemorate in the year 2002 the fifteenth anniversary of the public statements supporting independence of 23 August 1987, in the year 2003 - the twentieth anniversary of the 13 January 1983 European Parliament Resolution on the Situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania of, and in the year 2004 - the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 23 August 1979 Memorandum of 45 nationals of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;

noting that educational institutions have a special mission in forming historical consciousness of the younger generation, 

calls on educational institutions of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, historians and teachers of history to take due regard of the co-operation of the Baltic States during the years of resistance and the importance of the liberation movement in the spirit of the 1975 Helsinki Summit which contributed to the rebirth of the three States and brought the Baltic nations to singing revolution and the Baltic Way.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

REGULATIONS
Concerning the Medal of the Baltic Assembly

1. The medal of the Baltic Assembly (hereinafter referred to as the medal) shall be an award of the Baltic Assembly for upholding of the unity and co-operation of the Baltic States.

2. The motto of the medal shall be: Ubi concordia, ibi victoria.

3. The medal shall be awarded to the members of the Baltic Assembly, as well as to other persons for outstanding services in the field of strengthening the unity and support of the co-operation of the Baltic States.

4. The medal shall be an award of the single Class and shall not be given repeatedly.

5. The medal shall be produced from silver-plated metal; it shall be round and 45 millimetres in diameter. The contours and relief of the Baltic States shall be represented on the front side with the motto inscribed on the back side. A ribbon shall be attached to the medal.

6. The medal with the ribbon from unevenly textured white fabric with blue twines on the sides is to be worn on the left side. The flags of the three Baltic States in corresponding colours shall be represented on the ribbon of the medal.

7. The medal shall be given by the Presidium of the Baltic Assembly.

8. Each national delegation of the Baltic States may present a proposal to the Presidium of the Baltic Assembly regarding the awarding of the medal.

9. The person who is awarded the medal shall be presented with a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Presidium of the Baltic Assembly.

10. Expenses related to the production of the medal shall be covered with funds provided for in the Budget of the Baltic Assembly for representation needs.

11. The Secretariat of the Baltic Assembly shall number medals and keep their accounting.

12. The Regulations shall come into force on the day of the adoption thereof.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

REGULATIONS
For Publishing the Works of the Baltic Assembly Prize Winners 

1. The Baltic Assembly shall announce a closed competition for Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian book publishers on publishing the works of the Baltic Assembly prize winners for literature.

2. The sum of funds allocated for the competition depends on the budget of the Baltic Assembly and, generally, is equal to EUR 5,000 for each country.

3. The participants of the competition shall be given the awarded work and the samples of the Baltic Assembly symbols which must be included in the design of the book.

4. The participants of the competition shall submit:

1) an application for participation in the competition. The application must provide justification for the choice of the awarded work and of the translator of the said work;

2) estimate of the publication costs;

3) letter of intent signed by the publisher and the translator; and

4) written consent of the author of the awarded work or his/her authorised representative (organisation) concerning the publishing of the work.

5. The national delegations of the Baltic Assembly shall each set up an experts' commission for consideration of the applications submitted by the participants of the competition.

6. The internal rules for the expertsâÀ™ commission shall be the following:

1) the commission shall make decisions with a majority vote by secret ballot;

2) the commission shall decide at its discretion, to allocate funds to a candidate, without exceeding the set sum;

3) work of the experts' commission shall not be paid with the funds of the Baltic Assembly.

7. The applications for participation in the competition may be submitted within two months from the day of announcement of the competition. Upon the expiry of this term, the commission shall examine applications and make a decision, within one month. The commission shall within two weeks inform in writing each participant about the results of the competition.

8. In two weeksâÀ™ time after the announcement of the results of the competition, the Baltic Assembly shall sign a contract with the winner of the competition. The contract shall stipulate all the conditions of publishing the work. The contract shall not prohibit a publisher from seeking for additional financing from other funds and agencies, but it shall prohibit the publisher from advertising them.

9. The basic terms and conditions of the contract shall be the following:

1) within a month from the signing of the contract, the publisher shall receive 50 per cent of the sum allotted for publishing the work;

2) the whole allotted sum shall be made available to the publisher after presenting an advance copy of the book. Pursuant to the Regulations of the Baltic Assembly on the Prizes for Literature, Art and Science, the book must be published within a period of two years;

3) the publisher shall undertake to provide the Baltic Assembly with 100 complimentary copies for representation needs;

4) in the event of failure to execute the order, the publisher must transfer back to the Budget of the Baltic Assembly the sum in the amount of EUR 5,000.

10. The organisers of the competition shall participate on equal terms in the presentation of the book.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002

DECISION
On the Future Structure and Strategy of the Activities of the Baltic Assembly 

The Baltic Assembly,

evaluating the positive development in the trilateral co-operation of the Baltic States during recent years and the role of the Baltic Assembly in the said process;

emphasising the need for more deep co-ordination of co-operation and the importance of purposefully and effectively organised co-operation of the Baltic States for the Euro-transatlantic integration of these countries;

considering it necessary to continue discussions on the future structure and strategy of activities of the Baltic Assembly,

decides the following:

1) to continue discussions on the structural reforms of the Baltic Assembly;

2) to improve co-operation of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers:

a) to approve one-year presidency of the Baltic Assembly, by harmonising the term of presidency of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers;

b) to prepare common future strategy of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers which should be revised and amended every year by the presiding country;

3) to begin implementing the adopted Parliamentary Programme on all levels of co-operation;

4) to instruct the Legal Committee to make necessary amendments to the Statute of the Baltic Assembly on the basis of this Decision.

Vilnius, 25 May 2002