Independence of the Estonian Soviet Republic
Council of People's Commissars, Decree on Recognizing the Independence of the Estonian Soviet Republic. December 7, 1918
Excerpt.
Original Source: Izvestiia vserossiiskogo tsentral'nogo ispolnitel'nogo komiteta, 8 December 1918, No. 269.
In response to the enquiry of the Estonian Soviet Government, the Council of People's Commissars declares:
(1) The Russian Soviet Government recognizes the independence of the Estonian Soviet Republic. The Russian Soviet Government recognizes the power of the Soviets of Estonia as the supreme power of Estonia. It recognizes the power of the Council of People's Commissars of Estonia until the Congress of those Soviets convenes …
(2) The Russian Soviet Government imposes the obligation upon all military and civil authorities of the Russian Soviet Republic that have dealings with Estonia to render the Estonian Soviet Government and its armed forces every assistance in the fight to liberate Estonia from the yoke of the bourgeoisie.
(3) The People's Finance Commissariat is instructed to release ten million rubles as a loan to the People's Bank of the Estonian Soviet Republic.
(4) The People's Food Commissariat and the Supreme Economic Council are instructed to make an accord with appropriate bodies of the Estonian Soviet Republic on the subject of establishing trade between both republics.
Source: USSR, Sixty Years of the Union, 1922-1982 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1982), p. 49.