Lietuvos ir Latvijos užsienio politika, bendroji geopolitinė padėtis 1920-1921 m.

LTŠiame straipsnyje apžvelgiama Lietuvos ir Latvijos geopolitinė konsteliacija 1920-1921 m., nulėmusi šių šalių užsienio ir vidaus politikos preferencijas jų valstybingumo pripažinimo de jure priešaušriu. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Lietuva, Latvija, užsienio politika, diplomatija, geopolitinė padėtis, 1920-1921 metai. [Iš leidinio]

ENIn so far as concerns the interwar Lithuanian state, its political history and geopolitical situation, we must be very clear that interwar Lithuania, like its neighbours to the south (Poland) or to the north (Latvia, Estonia, Finland), was largely the result of global ideological, geopolitical, and social changes brought about by the First World War between 1914 and 1918. More specifically, it is the result of the global ideological, geopolitical and social changes brought about by this war. The political independence of Lithuania and Latvia, as well as other countries, required at least two elements: 1) a certain political will and political authority of the nation and 2) a favourable international-geopolitical configuration. In 1920-1921, the international situation in Lithuania and Latvia and their geopolitical situation were rather dynamic, fragile and strange. On the one hand, both states in the making had already managed to build up their national armed forces and win several stages of the wars of independence. Latvia had already de facto ended its war of independence in 1920-1921, and its main foreign policy objectives were then three or four: a) to consolidate the achievements on the battlefield politically and legally through appropriate political agreements with Russia and Germany; b) to obtain de jure recognition of the major powers of Europe and the world, in particular the United States; c) complete the settlement of certain territorial disputes and border issues with southern, northern and eastern neighbours; d) join the most important, most influential global international organisation of the time, the League of Nations, which for some time in the interwar period was essentially the most important guarantor of external stability and security for all the newly created states.The creation of the Latvian state in 1919—1920 largely coincided with the end of the Great War, the Paris Peace Conference and the heated debates of the great powers on the settlement of post-war Europe and its political future. Although the Latvian delegation was sent to the Paris Peace Conference with the specific task of trying to create a ‘sovereign, independent and indivisible Latvia in the Latvian ethnic lands, which would have borders with Lithuania, Estonia, Russia and Poland, the implementation of this declaration was not easy. The Latvian delegation, as well as the Lithuanian and Estonian delegations, came to the Paris Peace Conference uninvited, unexpected and, in principle, had to be content only with the conference entryway and out-of-the-way place. What was even worse was that the great powers that won the war had different scenarios for the political future of Europe, and for some time they tended to treat the Baltic issue only as part of a broad Russian question . Lithuania’s situation in this matter was even more complicated, as a large and influential Polish delegation led by world-famous Polish pianist, composer and politician-diplomat, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and right-wing nationalist, Roman Dmowski, arrived in Paris and declared that Lithuania’s issue was Poland’s internal issue. Thus, unlike Latvia, since the spring of 1919, Lithuania has had to fight not only against the Russians, but also against the geopolitical aspirations of its southern neighbours. It should be noted that the foreign policy tactics chosen by Riga in 1920-1921 were quite successful. Probably the first serious breakthrough on Latvia’s road to international recognition took place on 15 July 1920, when the Latvia-Germany Treaty was signed in Berlin, which gave Latvia de jure recognition.This treaty not only strengthened Latvia’s international authority and Latvians’ political and national self-confidence, but in the future also encouraged other states to take Latvia more seriously as a subject of international relations. The position of Latvia was further strengthened by the peace treaty between Latvia and the Bolsheviks, signed in Riga on 11 August 1920. In 1920-1921, Latvia also managed to resolve territorial disputes with Lithuania. However, the help of third parties could not be avoided. The Latvian-Lithuanian territorial differences were then resolved by London diplomacy, which was interested in stability in the north-eastern region of the Baltic Sea, as it was seen as a bridgehead for its economic invasion of the huge Russian market and further east. The Lithuanian-Latvian border was then made by a subordinate of the British Empire, Scottish professor, James Young Simpson. Lithuania received a small exit to the Baltic Sea and opened the door to the status of a maritime nation. However, the main political- diplomatic contests for strategic exit to the Baltics and the occupation of Klaipeda city and port in 1920-1921 had only just begun. Lithuania had to continue the fight in 1922-1924. [...] Key words: Lithuania, Latvia, foreign policy, geopolitical situation, 1920-1921. [From the publication]