The Estonian nation can shape its future in the family of countries of the democratic world only provided that we can find support from our past experience treated with an impartial and integral and not selective approach. For that purpose, the International Research Commission will be created, who will present the results of its research to the President and to the Prime Minister of Estonia. Till finding permanent financing sources, the activities of the Research Commission will be financed from the budget of the Round Table of the President for the time being. The task of the Research Commission is to clarify the crimes perpetrated against humanity by the Nazi and Soviet occupation authorities in Estonia in 1939-1991. Public figures from Estonia and abroad have been invited to participate in the work of the Commission, also representatives of non-governmental organisations, including the American Jewish Committee who is represented at the initiating meeting today (13 May 1998) by the Director of the European Relations Rabbi Andrew Baker and the Chairman of the Commission of International Relations of the Committee Mr. Nicholas Lane.
The Commission proceeds from the fact that the genocide perpetrated against the Estonian people in the course of occupations has disposed Estonians to be understanding and sympathetic towards the people who have been persecuted on a national scale due to their ethnic or racial origin. This is evidenced by the fact that during the years of the Soviet occupation, Estonia and particularly the University of Tartu have been a refuge for many Jews who have relocated here, especially for researchers who have found opportunities for self-realisation in Estonia. The Republic of Estonia confirms that each citizen of the Republic of Estonia who lives in Estonia and will be proved to be guilty of the crimes perpetrated against humanity by the Nazi occupation authorities against the Jewish people or other peoples; or who will be proved guilty of the crimes perpetrated against humanity by the Soviet occupation authorities against Estonians and other peoples, will be brought to trial in the court and has to undergo judicial punishment. (The initiating group is not aware of any Nazi criminals living in freedom in Estonia at the moment, but the initiating group will investigate any evidence that will be presented to the group.)
In free and democratic Estonia there is no anti-semitism or racism on the national level, but they manifest themselves on the level of everyday life. The Government of Estonia and the Estonian legal system have adopted measures for the eradication of such manifestations in Estonia and are doing it in close co-operation with our ethnic minorities and international organisations, including the American Jewish Committee.

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