A new summit in 2025 in CSCE spirit

To the governments and parliaments of Finland and Sweden as well as Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Russia

The Baltic Sea region 3.6.2021
Over 130 non-governmental organisation

We, over 130 representatives of non-governmental organizations in the Nordic and Baltic Sea region, warmly welcome the extremely urgent proposal of the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, to organize a new summit in CSCE spirit (Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe) between the major powers in connection with the 50th anniversary of OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe). The Final Act was signed in Helsinki in 1975. The President believes that a new summit could calm the growing tensions between the major powers.

According to President Niinistö, the international situation is not necessarily as bad as it seems. Behind the facade there are also attempts to find solutions. Niinistö believes that in this situation Finland could have the capacity to act as a mediator because the country has a direct discussion relationship with all major powers.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin expressed support for the proposal on Finnish television and stated that she shares the president’s concerns about the tense situation between the major powers.

In January 2021, Sweden took over the chairmanship of the OSCE. Foreign Minister Ann Linde then stated that Sweden will during the year work to strengthen the important role of the OSCE in contributing to security in the region. ”For Sweden and all other participating states, the commitments that underlie the OSCE are the cornerstones of our common security. … Threats to international peace and security and the suffering that conflicts entail are unacceptable. That is why we must continue to keep the work for a solution to the conflicts in our region at the top of our agenda. ”

In this very spirit, we assume that Sweden will give its full support to the proposal for a new OSCE summit in 2025.

In 190 countries, nearly 700 organizations and over 75,000 people have signed a pledge to commit to peace and to support non-violent activities to end all wars and preparations for war and to create a lasting and just peace (World BEYOND War). War and militarism kill, injure and traumatize adults, children and infants, destroy the environment, erode civil liberties and undermine countries’ economies.

Countless appeals and letters have been published by former high-ranking politicians and NATO leaders, non-governmental organizations, groups of prominent people in various professions, peace researchers and others calling on world leaders to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Research groups and peace organizations around the world are calling for dialogue between the major powers instead of gun rattling and twisted threats and present proposals for how such a dialogue could be conducted and how trust could be built through open and inclusive cooperation. Humanitarian and peace-promoting organizations advocate demilitarization in favor of global sustainable and equal development.

Finland and Sweden have traditionally acted as initiators of peace and disarmament.

Former Finnish President Urho Kekkonen twice, in 1963 and 1978, proposed a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Nordic region. Sweden’s former Prime Minister Olof Palme in his Piteå speech in 1974 presented the demand for a nuclear-weapon-free Europe. It was a life-affirming demand, which led to the work for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Nordic region. In the Nordic Council demands have been made for such a zone. Unfortunately, no nuclear-weapon-free zone was established in the Nordic region or the Baltic Sea region.

Today, both countries have an increasingly close collaboration with NATO and the United States which has led to increased tensions in the Nordic and Baltic region.

Nuclear weapons are a key component of NATO’s deterrence and defense policy and the United States has nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. Both USA and Russia are modernizing their nuclear arsenals.

The American corporation Lockheed Martin has been commissioned to manufacture a ground-launched intermediate-range hypersonic weapons system with a range of 500 -5 500 km. Such missiles, able to reach Moscow, will most likely be deployed in Poland or Romania.

Russia also builds hypersonic intermediate-range missiles but they would be launched from Russian territory and cannot reach Washington.

Such missiles were prohibited by the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) signed by Presidents Gorbachev and Reagan in 1987. The risks thus increase considerably that a nuclear war between USA and Russia could take place in Europe.

In a nuclear war, however, all are losers. It does not matter whether it takes place in Europe or elsewhere.

A new OSCE summit is not only welcome, it is crucial for the future of Europe and the planet.

The Baltic Sea region 3.6.2021

Signatures from the Nordic and the Baltic sea countries:

• Aarhus mod Krig og Terror (Aarhus against War and Terror) – Denmark

Contact persons:

Helge Ratzer – helgeratzer(at)outlook.dk

Carsten Andersen – carstenand(at)hotmail.dk

• Aldrig Mere Krig (War Resisters’ International in Denmark) – Denmark

Contact person: Tom Vilmer Paamand – Tom(at)AldrigMereKrig.dk

• Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden (AGDF) – Germany

Contact person: Jan Gildemeister – gildemeister(at)friedensdienst.de

• Amandamaji ry. – Finland
  Contact person: Marika Lohi – marika.lohi(at)ehtaraha.fi

• Antinuclear Society of Tataria – Tatarstan, Russia

Contact person: Albert Garapov – algaraf(at)mail.ru

• Association of Veterans of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant – Lithuania

Contact person: Vladimir Kuznecov – vladkuz60(at)gmail.com

• Attac Hamburg – Germany

Contact person: Peter Klemm – agfrieden%pklemm(at)gmx.de

• Bestemødrene for Fred (Grandmothers for Peace) – Norway

Contact person: Elsa-Britt Enge – engelsa02(at)gmail.com

• Bike for Peace and New Energies e. V. – Germany

Contact person: Konni Schmidt – konni.schmidt(at)bikeforpeace.net

• Bremer Friedensforum (Bremen Peace Forum) – Germany

Contact person: Ekkehard Lentz – info(at)bremerfriedensforum.de

• Bund für Soziale Verteidigung e.V. (Federation for Social Defense) – Germany

Contact person: Christine Schweitzer – schweitzer(at)soziale-verteidigung.de

• Danish National Pugwash Group – Denmark

Contact person: John Scales Avery – avery.john.s(at)gmail.com

• DFG-VK (Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft-Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen) (German Peace Society – United War Resisters), Baden-Württemberg – Germany

Contact person: Roland Blach – ba-wue(at)dfg-vk.de

• Die Feministische Partei DIE FRAUEN (Feminist Party) – Germany

Contact person: Margot Müller – info(at)feministischepartei.de

• Ecodefense – Moskva, Russia

Contact person: Vladimir Slivyak – ecodefense(at)gmail.com

• Emmaus Åland r.f. – Finland

Contact person: Robert Jansson – robert(at)emmaus.ax

• ENWL – Ecological North West Line (e-mail news letters for about 600 subscribers from Saint Petersburg, north west Russia and other regions of FSU (former Soviet Union) – Sankt Petersburg, Russia

Contact person: Vladimir F. Levchenko – lew(at)lew.spb.org

• Estonian Green Movement – Estonia
  Contact person: Madis Vasser – madis(at)roheline.ee

• Faya Mukhamadeeva United Nature Conservation Brigade Kazan – Russia

Contact person: Sergey Germanovich  –    kznsoes(at)yandex.ru

• Folkkampanjen mot kärnkraft-kärnvapen (Peoples’ Movement Against Nuclear Power And Weapons) – Sweden

Contact person: Jan Strömdahl – jfstromdahl(at)gmail.com

• Folkkampanjen mot kärnkraft-kärnvapen (Peoples’ Movement Against Nuclear Power And Weapons) – Sundsvall, Sweden

Contact person: Ulf Gustafson – ulf414(at)hotmail.com

• Forbyd Atomvåben (ICAN in Denmark) – Denmark

Contact person: Hasse Schneidermann – hasse.schneidermann(at)gmail.com

• Frauen für den Frieden (Women for Peace) – Germany
• Frauen für den Frieden – Berlin, Germany

Contact persons: Hildegard von Meierand Eva Quistorp – eva(at)berlin-declaration.org

• Frauennetzwerk für Frieden e.V. / Women’s Network for Peace – Germany

Contact person: Elise Kopper – info(at)frauennetzwerk-fuer-frieden.de

• Fredens Hus Göteborg (Peace House Gothenburg) – Sweden

Contact person: Karin Utas Carlsson – k.utas.carlsson(at)gmail.com  

• Fredsministerium i Danmark (Danish Ministry of Peace – umbrella organization for Danish peace organizations and peace activists) – Denmark

Contact person: Hasse Schneidermann – hasse.schneidermann(at)gmail.com

• Fredsrörelsen på Orust (peace movement at Orust) – Sweden

Contact person: Ola Friholt – ola.friholt(at)gmail.com

• FredsVagten i Danmark (PeaceWatch) – Denmark

Contact person: Irene Sørensen – 0802irene(at)gmail.com

• Freiburger Friedensforum (Freiburg Peace Forum) – Germany

Contact person: Gabi Woywode – gabi_woy(at)gmx.de

• Friedensglockengesellschaft Berlin e.V. (Peace Bell Association Berlin) – Germany

Contact person: Anja Mewes –  friedensglockengesellschaft(at)web.de

• Friedenszentrum Braunschweig e.V. (Peace Centre Braunschweig) – Germany

Contact person: Elke Almut Dieter – kontakt(at)friedenszentrum.info

• Friedenswerkstatt Mutlangen e.V. (Peace Workshop Mutlangen) – Germany

Contact person: Arailym Kubayeva – a.kubayeva(at)gmail.com

• Friends of the Siberian Forests – Russia

Contact person: Andrey Laletin – laletin3(at)gmail.com

• Förderkreis Darmstädter Signal (Darmstädter Signal working group) – Germany

Contact persons: Jürgen Rose, Uwe Werner Schierhorn, Martin Singe, Dr. Matthias-W. Engelke – ds.geschaeftsfuehrer(at)gmal.com

• Föreningen Värmland mot Kärnkraft (Värmland Province against Nuclear Power) – Sweden

Contact person: Liv Jofjell – folkkampanjen.karlstad(at)gmail.com

• Gewaltfreie Aktion Atomwaffen Abschaffen (Nonviolent Action Abolish Nuclear Weapons) – Germany

Contact person: Martin Otto – mo-wz(at)gaaa.org

• gröna Kvinnor och medlemmar i 1325 (green Women and members of 1325) – Sweden

Contact person: Ewa Larsson – ewagron1(at)gmail.com

• Guild of Environmental Journalists of the Union of Journalists of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region – Russia

Contact person: Lina Zernova –  linazernova(at)mail.ru

• Hamburger Forum für Völkerverständigung und weltweite Abrüstung e. V. (Hamburg Forum for International Understanding and Global Disarmament) – Germany

Contact person: Markus Gunkel – hamburger-forum(at)hamburg.de

• IALANA (International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms) – Germany 

Contact person: Lucas Wirl – l.wirl(at)gmx.net

• Initiative Sicherheit neu denken (Initiative Rethink Security) – Germany

Contact person: Ralf Becker – ralf.becker(at)ekiba.de

• Integrationsrådet i Aarhus Kommune (Integration Council in Aarhus Municipality) – Denmark

Contact person: Faika Kafarova – faigakafarova(at)outlook.co

• Internasjonal Kvinneliga for Fred og Frihet (IKFF – WILPF) – Norway

Contact person: Britt Schumann – brikamann(at)gmail.com

• Internationella Kvinnoförbundet för Fred och Frihet (IKFF – WILPF) – Sweden Contact person: Lina Hjärtström – lina.hjartstrom(at)ikff.se

• Internationella kvinnoförbundet för fred och frihet (IKFF – WILPF) Göteborg section – Sweden

Contact person: Begard Yunis – begardy(at)hotmail.com

• IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) – Germany

Contact person: Angelika Wilmen – wilmen(at)ippnw.de

• Khakass public ecological fund ”Iris” – Russia

Contact person: Maria Chebodaeva – akhp31marche(at)gmail.com

• Kooperation für den Frieden(Cooperation for Peace – Umbrella organization consisting of more than 50 German peace organizations and initiatives) – Germany

Contact person: Jens-Peter Steffen – steffen(at)ippnw.de

Members of “Kooperation für den Frieden” that have not signed individually but support the letter:

• Aachener Friedenspreis e.V. (AFP) (Aachen Peace Prize)

• Aachener Netzwerk für humanitäre Hilfe und interkulturelle Friedensarbeit e.V.

(Aachen Network for Humanitarian Aid and Intercultural Peace Work e.V.)

• Aktion Freiheit statt Angst e.V.(Action Freedom not Fear e. V.)

• Aschaffenburger Friedenstrommler (Aschaffenburger Drummers for Peace)

• Bremer Aktion für Kinder (BAKI) (Bremen Action for Kids)

• Bürgerinitiative OFFENe HEIDe (citizens’ initiative OFFENe HEIDe)

• Bundesverband Bürgerinitiativen Umweltschutz (BBU) (Federal Association of Citizens’ Initiatives Environmental Protection)
  
  
• Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Kriegsdienstverweigerung und Frieden (EAK) (Protestant Working Group for Conscientious Objection and Peace)

• Evangelisch-methodistische Kirche in Deutschland (EmK) – Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Bewahrung der Schöpfung (Protestant Methodist Church in Germany (EmK) – justice, peace and the integrity of creation)

• Forum Friedensethik (FFE) in der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Baden (Baden’s Peace Ethics Forum (FFE) of the Evangelical Church)

• Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung e.V. (FIfF) (Forum of Computer Scientists and IT Professionals for Peace and Social Responsibility)

• Frauen in Schwarz (Women in Black), Hamburg

• Frauen in Schwarz (Women in Black), Köln

• Friedensgruppe Altenholz (Peace group Altenholz)

• Friedensinititiative Nottuln (Peace initiative Nottuln)

• Friedensrat Müllheim (Peace Council Müllheim)

• Friedenszentrum Leipzig (Peace Center Leipzig)

• Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW), Hauptvorstand (Education and Science Workers’ Union – GEW)

• Heidelberger Friedensratschlag (Heidelberg Peace Council)

• Institute for International Assistance and Solidarity (IFIAS)

• Initiative Musiker/innen gegen Militärmusikkorps (Initiative musicians against military music corps)

• Internationaler Versöhnungsbund – deutscher Zweig (VB) (International Fellowship of Reconciliation – German branch)

• Keine Waffen vom Bodensee (No Weapons from Bodensee)

• Komitee für Grundrechte und Demokratie (Committee for Civil Rights and Democracy)

• Koordinierungsausschuss der Friedensbewegung in der Region Ingolstadt (Coordination committee of the peace movement in the Ingolstadt region)

• KURVE Wustrow – Bildungs- und Begegnungsstätte für gewaltfreie Aktion e.V.

(KURVE Wustrow – Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action)

• Lebenshaus Schwäbische Alb – Gemeinschaft für soziale Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Ökologie e.V. (Lebenshaus Schwäbische Alb – community for social justice, peace and ecology)

• Leserinitiative Publik e.V. (Readers’ initiative Publik)

• Mönchengladbacher Friedensforum (Mönchengladbach Peace Forum)

• Netzwerk Friedenskooperative (Network Peace Cooperative)

• Netzwerk Friedenssteuer (Peace Tax Network)

• Ökumenische Initiative zur Abschaffung der Militärseelsorge (Ecumenical Initiative for the Abolition of Military Pastoral Care)

• Ökumenisches Netz Baden-Württemberg (Ecumenical network Baden-Württemberg)

• Ökumenisches Zentrum für Umwelt-, Friedens- und Eine-Welt-Arbeit (Ecumenical Center for Environment, Peace and One World Work), Berlin

• Pädagoginnen und Pädagogen für den Frieden (PPF) (Educators for Peace)

• pax christi – Internationale Katholische Friedensbewegung Deutsche Sektion

• RüstungsinformationsBüro (RIB e.V.) (Arms information office)

• Ulmer Ärzteinitiative (Ulm doctor’s initiative)

• VVN-BdA – Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes-Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten (Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime/Federation of Antifascists)

• Werkstatt für Gewaltfreie Aktion, Baden (WfGA) (Workshop for Nonviolent Action, Baden)
  
  

• Kronoberg för fred och alliansfrihet (KFA) (Kronoberg for peace and non-alignment) – Sweden

Contact person: Sven-Erik Månsson – mansson.svenerik(at)gmail.com

• Kvindernes Internationale Liga for Fred og Frihed (WILPF) – Denmark

Contact person: Ida Harslof – ida(at)harslof.dk

• Latvian Green Movement (LaGM) – Latvia

Contact person: Jānis Matulis – janis.matulis(at)zalie.lv

• Miljöringen Lovisa (Environmental Circle Lovisa) – Finland

Contact person: Christer Alm – christer.alm45(at)gmail.com

• NaturwissenschaftlerInnen-Initiative ”Verantwortung für Frieden und Zukunftsfähigkeit” (NatWiss) (Initiative of Natural Scientists for Responsibility for Peace and Sustainability) – Germany

Contact person: Pascal Luig – geschaeftsfuehrung(at)natwiss.de

• NGO Centre for Applied Ecology – Estonia

Contact person: Marina Janssen – marijanssenest(at)gmail.com

• Ohne Rüstung Leben (Without Armor Life) – Germany

Contact person: Kerstin Deibert – orl-deibert(at)gaia.de

 

• Opettajien Lähetysliitto (The Teachers’ Mission of Finland) – Finland

Contact person: Hanna Tamminen – toimisto(at)opettajienlahetysliitto.fi

• PAND  – Taiteilijat Rauhan puolesta ry (Artists for Peace) – Finland

Contact person: Antti Seppänen – pandtalo(at)hotmail.fi

• pax christi – Germany

Contact person: Christine Hoffmann – c.hoffmann(at)paxchristi.de

• Public Council of the South Shore of the Gulf of Finland, interregional public movement of Leningrad region and St. Petersburg – Russia

Contact person: Oleg Bodrov – bodrov(at)greenworld.org.ru

• Public eco-movement ”Kola Ecocenter”, Murmansk region – Russia

Contact person: Yura Ivanov – yura.ivanov(at)kec.org.ru

• Regional Radioecological Center, Krasnoyarsk Regional NGO – Russia

Contact person: Fedor Maryasov – espero40(at)yandex.ru

• Riksföreningen Nej till Nato (No to Nato) – Sweden

Contact person: Lars Drake – drake_lars(at)hotmail.com

• Russian Socio-Ecological Union– Russia

Contact person: Gennady Mingazov – gmingazov(at)yandex.ru

• SGI (Soka Gakkai International) – Denmark

Contact person: Jan O. Møller – janortwed(at)gmail.com

• Sichelschmiede (workshop for peace work) – Germany

Contact persons: Ulrike Laubenthal and Niels Detloff – info(at)sichelschmiede.org

• Socio-ecological union International – Russia

Contact person: Sviatoslav Zabelin – svetfrog(at)gmail.com 

• Suomen Rauhanpuolustajat ry – Finnish Peace Committee – Finland

Contact person: Teemu Matinpuro – teemu.matinpuro(at)rauhanpuolustajat.fi

• Suomen YK-nuoret/ The UN Youth of Finland – Finland

Contact person: Marianne Koikkalainen – marianne.koikkalainen(at)yknuoret.fi

• Svenska Fredsvänner i Helsingfors (Swedish Peace friends in Helsinki) – Finland
  Contact person: Elisabeth Nordgren – elisabeth.nordgren(at)pp.inet.fi

• Svenska Kvinnors Vänsterförbund (Swedish Women of the Left) – Sweden

Contact person: Ianthe Holmberg – ianthe.holmberg(at)gmail.com

• Sveriges Fredsråd (Swedish Peace Council) – Sweden

Contact person: Agneta Norberg – lappland.norberg(at)gmail.com

• ViSK – Vänstern i Svenska kyrkan (The Left in the Church of Sweden) –Sweden

Contact person: Mona Olsson – mona.olsson(at)svenskakyrkan.se

• Vännernas samfund i Sverige, kväkarna (The Swedish Society of Friends)

– Sweden

Contact person: Birgit Aquilonius – birgit.aquilonius(at)gmail.com

 

• Värmland mot Kärnkraft (Värmland Province against Nuclear Power) – Sweden

Contact person: Liv Jofjell – kontakt(at)varmlandmotkarnkraft.se

• WILPF, Suomen osasto – Finland

Contact person: Sirkku Järvelä – sirkku.jarvela(at)gmail.com

• Women Against Nuclear Power – Finland

Contact person: Ulla Klötzer – ullaklotzer(at)yahoo.com

• Women for Peace – Finland

Contact person: Lea Launokari – lea.launokari(at)nettilinja.fi

• Women for Peace – Apatity, Russia

Contact person: Elena Kruglikova – elena.kruglikova(at)kec.org.ru

• Women for Peace – Sweden

Contact person: Susanne Gerstenberg – susanne.gerstenberg(at)telia.com

• Women for Peace – Sundsvall, Sweden

Contact person: Ulrika Hådén – ulrhad(at)gmail.com

• Za Prirodu (For Nature)–Chelyabinsk, Russia

Contact person: Andrey Talevlin – atalevlin(at)gmail.com

• Zusammenarbeitsausschuss der Friedensbewegung Schleswig-Holstein (ZAA)  (Cooperation Committee of the Schleswig-Holstein Peace Movement) – Germany

Contact person: Benno Stahn – b.stahn(at)kieler-friedensforum.de

Supporting signatures from outside the Nordic and Baltic Sea region

International organisations:

• Church and Peace – European peace church network

Contact person: Lydia Funck – intloffice(at)church-and-peace-org

• WECF International

Contact person: Sascha Gabizon – sascha.gabizon(at)wecf.org

• Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom/WILPF

Contact person: Heidi Meinzolt – heidi.meinzolt(at)wilpf.org

National organisations:

• Association “For Sustainable Human Development” – Republic of Armenia

Contact person: Karine Danielyan – karined(at)web.am

• Environmentalists Against War – Berkley, California, USA

Contact person: Gar Smith – gar.smith(at)earthlink.net

• IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War ) – Greece

Contact person: Maria Arvaniti Sotiropoulou – maria.sotirop(at)gmail.com

• Naturschutzbund Vorarlberg (nature conservation association Vorarlberg)– Austria

Contact person: Hildegard Breiner – hildegard.breiner(at)aon.at      

• Peace Child International – United Kingdom

Contact person: David R. Woollcombe – david(at)peacechild.org

• International Fellowship of Reconciliation – Austrian Branch

Contact person: Thomas Roithner – thomas.roithner(at)univie.ac.at

Personal signatures:

• Gela Böhne – Germany

gela.boehne(at)web.de

• Helmut Holfert – Berlin Germany

heho-oberspree(at)web.de

• Frank Hornschu – Kiel Gemany

frank. hornschu(at)dgb.de

(Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund – DGB Kiel Region)

• Pasquale Policastro, PhD. Hab. PhD. h.c. Professor of Szczecin University – Poland President and Founder of World Peace Lab, Poland

pasquale.policastro(at)worldpeacelab.pl

• Vladimir Shestakov – Russia

volodyashestakov(at)gmail.com