ABSTRACT
The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) were absorbed into the Soviet Union in 1940 by forcible annexation. In consequence, many states viewed this as a breach of the Stimson Doctrine and refused to accord full recognition.72 In 1990, as the Soviet Union began to disintegrate, the three declared their independence and were recognised as such by a number of states. On 6 September 1991, the Soviet Union granted recognition and on 17 September 1991 all three states became members of the United Nations. Having regard to the history it is doubtful whether the three states should be regarded as ‘newly independent’ for the purpose of Art 2(e) of the 1978 Vienna Convention. The Baltic states do not regard themselves as successors to the Soviet Union and have broadly asserted their adherence to the ‘clean slate’ principle as far as the prior treaties of the Soviet Union are concerned.
