What Is the Helsinki Agreement?
The Helsinki Agreement is a declaration adopted by 35 sovereign states in 1975. The declaration focused on improving the relations between Communist governments and the Western world, with a goal of reducing Cold War tensions.
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Origin
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The Helsinki Agreement was the final act produced by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The conference was held in Helsinki, Finland, in July and August of 1975.
Other Names
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The Helsinki Agreement is more commonly referred to as the Helsinki Accords. Other common names include the Helsinki Final Act and the Helsinki Declaration.
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Adopting States
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Thirty-five states signed the Helsinki Agreement on August 1, 1975. Signatories included the United States of America, Canada and every European state with the exception of Albania and Andorra (whose heads of state were absent).
Impact on Borders
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The Helsinki Agreement affirmed Europe's national borders as they were at the end of World War II. This was seen as a diplomatic victory for the Soviet Union, since it was an official recognition of the Soviet takeover of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Impact on Human Rights
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A significant part of the Helsinki Agreement was the consensus among participating nations to promote human rights, adherence to international law and the peaceful resolution of disputes. This was seen as a concession made by the Soviet Union to the West in exchange for the recognition of postwar borders.
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References
- Photo Credit Photo by Mika Laukkanen, downloaded from http://www.sxc.hu
