Office of the Historian

861.00/3859: Telegram

The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State

Paris, February 15, 1919, 9 p.m.
[Received 9:45 p.m.]

769. The Esthonian delegation has addressed a request to me as Secretary of State repeating its petition of May 5 [3] last2 that the independence of Esthonia be recognized and requesting recognition of the right of Esthonia as a belligerent nation during the war against the Russian Federative Communist Republic.

Attached to above communication was copy of note to President of Peace Conference asserting Esthonia’s independence, recognized provisionally by British, French, and Italian Governments, and [Page 669] accepting the Prinkipo invitation with the provision that if any decision should be taken there regarding Esthonian independence, Esthonian Government will not consider itself so bound.

Opinion of Commission is same as that expressed with regard to recognition Lithuania (see my telegram number 708 [768] February 15, 9 [3] p.m.).

Lansing
Am[erican] Mission
  1. Letter from the Esthonian delegation to the Ambassador in Great Britain, Foreign Relations, 1918, Russia, vol. ii, pp. 827–828.↩