REPORT BY STALIN TO THE ALL-RUSSIAN CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF FINLAND 4 January 1918 Stalin, IV, p. 22     The other day representatives of Finland approached us with a request for the immediate recognition of Finland's complete independence and for confirmation of the fact of its separation from Russia. In reply the Council of People's Commissars decided to accede to this request and to issue a decree on the complete independence of Finland, which has already been published in the press.     Here is the text of the decisions of the Council of People's Commissars:     In reply to the request of the Finnish Govermnent for recognition of the independence of the Finnish Republic, the Council of People's Commissars, in full accord with the principles of the right of nations to self-determination inclusion of these territories within the Russian State, but only to secure to them real freedom to determine for themselves the questions of their internal constitution and external relations. The Russian Republic will feel itself secure against attempts to drag it again into territorial disputes and conflicts only when it is convinced that the frontier separating it from neighbouring territories has been drawn by the free will of the peoples living along that frontier and not forcibly imposed by one side, only temporarily in a position to stifle that will.     If the task is understood in this sense it presupposes previous agreement between Germany and Austria-Hungary on the one side, and Russia on the other, on four fundamental points: i. The extent of the territory in which the population will be called upon to exercise the right of self-determination. ii. The general political principles that will govern the decision as to the constitutional destiny of the territories and nations concerned. iii. The nature of the provisional regime to be established pending the final constitution of the Governments of these territories. iv. The manner and form in which the population of these territories will be called upon to express their will.... For its part, the Russian delegation suggests the following possible answers to these questions: I. Territorial     The right to self-determination belongs to the nations as a whole, and not merely to those parts at present in the occupied zone, as contemplated in article 2 of the German proposal. Accordingly the Russian Government, on its own initiative, proposes that the right to self-determination shall also be exercised by those parts of the nations concerned which lie outside the occupied zone. Russia undertakes not to coerce these territories, by direct or indirect means, into accepting a particular form of government, nor to restrict their independence by concluding any fiscal or military convention before the final establishment of these territories on the basis of the political self-determination of the peoples inhabiting them.     The Governments of Germany and Austria, in their turn, categorically affirm that they make no claims of any kind for the inclusion within Germany or Austria-Hungary of territories of the former Russian Empire now occupied by their troops, nor for socalled 'frontier rectifications' at the expense of these territories, and, in like manner, they undertake not to coerce these territories, by direct or indirect means, into accepting a particular form of government, nor to restrict their independence by concluding any fiscal or military conventions before the final establishment of these territories on the basis of the political self-determination of the peoples inhabiting them. II. The question of the future destiny of the self-determining territories shall be decided in conditions of complete political freedom, and in the absence of any kind of external pressure.     Consequently, voting should be held after the withdrawal from these territories of foreign troops and after the return of refugees and evacuated persons to their homeland. The time-limit for the withdrawal of troops is to be set by a special commission, according to the conditions of transport, supplies, etc., obtaining in the circumstances of an unfinished world war. Law and order in the self-determining territories are to be maintained by the national troops and the local militia.     Full freedom and material assistance to return to their homeland are to be given to refugees as well as to the inhabitants of these territories who were forced to abandon their homes during the war. III. From the moment when peace is signed until the final constitution of the Governments of these territories, the internal administration within their frontiers, the management of local affairs, finances, etc., is to be transferred to the provisional bodies to be established by agreement among those political parties which proved their vitality among the people concerned before and during the war. The primary task of these provisional representative organs of the people, besides maintaining the normal course of social and economic life, should be to organize the future plebiscite. IV. The final decision as to the constitutional status of the territories concerned and their internal political structure will be taken by means of a referendum of the entire people.     In order to expedite the work of the peace conference, the Russian delegation considers it of the utmost importance to receive from the German delegation a precise answer to all the questions raised in the present statement. The remaining questions could be examined after a decision has been taken on these basic points. Documents on Soviet Foreign Policy [Subject] [Author] [Date]