US diplomat who condemned Baltic occupation may be honored in Lithuania

Lithuanian parliament members are considering honoring a U.S. diplomat who played a key role in condemning the Soviet Union's occupation of the Baltic states. The proposal, which will be presented to the Mayor of Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, aims to commemorate diplomat Sumner Welles.

"The U.S. and the entire democratic world are celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on July 4th. This would be a truly beautiful gesture from the Lithuanian side to show the U.S. contribution to Lithuania's independence," said Darius Jakavičius, chairman of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence (LKVIAK), during a committee meeting.

Emanuelis Zingeris, a member of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, suggested that honoring Welles could serve as a starting point for a planned sculpture park in Washington Square. This park would be dedicated to U.S. diplomats who contributed to the independence of the Baltic states. Zingeris believes the first sculpture in such a park should be dedicated to Welles, with potential for honoring other American figures later.

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The U.S. and the entire democratic world are celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on July 4th. This would be a truly beautiful gesture from the Lithuanian side to show the U.S. contribution to Lithuania's independence.

Professor Petras Stirbys, who presented the idea to the committee, explained that honoring Welles would be Lithuania's way of reciprocating the U.S. contribution to the Baltic states' fight for independence. "Proper commemoration of historical memory would be akin to repaying a debt to the Americans for their timely gesture, which ultimately led to a turning point in Lithuania's history," Stirbys stated.

Sumner Welles, then acting U.S. Secretary of State, issued a statement on July 23, 1940, known as the Welles Declaration. This declaration condemned the Soviet aggression against the Baltic nations and stated that the U.S. would not recognize the annexation of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The U.S. maintained this position until the Baltic states regained their independence in 1990-1991. A commemoration for the 85th anniversary of the Welles Declaration was held in Vilnius' Washington Square last summer.

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Proper commemoration of historical memory would be akin to repaying a debt to the Americans for their timely gesture, which ultimately led to a turning point in Lithuania's history.