Soviet Union: HM Government's Policy towards the Soviet Annexation of the Baltic States

A file containing documents concerning the British government's policy towards the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states. The principal subject covered in the file is the status of the Latvian mission in London. Aspects of this subject discussed include the death of the Latvian chargé d'affaires in 1981; the fact that his successor was not entitled to diplomatic privileges or courtesies; a decision that the Latvian premises were no longer entitled to rating relief, and that rating relief had been erroneously applied to the Estonian mission since 1971; and the view that this decision should not be seen as a change in British policy. Other subjects discussed in the file include the British government's recognition of the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states de facto but not de jure; the ownership of the Estonian mission's premises; and the "Baltic assets" held by the Bank for International Settlements.