 On the occasion of the International Archives Day, the Archives of Yugoslavia set up the exhibition of archival documents Yugoslavia and the First Conference on Security and Cooperation, Helsinki 1975. On the opening day, on June 9, 2015 at the presence of numerous guests, representatives of diplomatic corps in the Republic of Serbia, representatives of scientific and cultural establishment, Miladin Milošević, Acting Director of the Archives of Yugoslavia addressed the guests reminding them that International Archives Day was established at General Assembly of International Council of Archives (ICA) in Quebec, Canada. He pointed out that the Archives of Yugoslavia has been celebrating the International Archives Day for the fifth time as a date. He added that it was decided to choose The First Conference on Security and Cooperation as a topic, among the many others, since it presents the important date in the history of international relations and the fact that Yugoslavia played an important role in preparation and realization of the Conference.
Finally he concluded: "Serbia is this year the chairman of OESC and we thought it very important to present to the public our plentiful sources and to indicate that this subject is equally up to date as it was forty years ago." After addressing of the Acting Director of the Archives of Yugoslavia, Roksanda Ninčić, Ambassador and the State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia addressed the public. In her speech she talked about events that lead to call the First Conference of CSCE. She pointed out that the reasons that caused the calling of the Conference are not less up-to-date today than they used to be forty years ago, witnessing that some essential international problems haven’t changed. She mentioned that for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being the state institution, it is very important that International Archives Day has been celebrated, since that is the opportunity to show once more the importance of the archival documentation for the national memory of every nation. On the Fortieth Anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, being the most important document from that Conference, it should be remembered that those events fundamentally contributed to lessen the tensions between Eastern and Western block, affirm idea of collective security and to prevail divisions in Europe.
Regarding the fact that Serbian Chairmanship of OSCE is just in the anniversary year, she said that it is a chance for our country to contribute to strengthening of this Organization and at the same time the chance for Serbia to strengthen its role in the international plan. After that she officially opened the exhibition.
The exhibition consists of 112 documents and photos. Introductory chapter Yugoslavia and the First Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Helsinki July 30 -August 1, 1975 present documents conveying the first ideas, initiatives and proposals for the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and engagement and the role of Yugoslav state in these events. Through the thematic sections Consultancy Meeting, on the level of the Ambassadors of the countries participants, in Helsinki from November 22, 1972 to June 8,1973; The First Stage of the CSCE, at the level of the Ministers of the Foreign Affairs in Helsinki from 3 - 7 July, 1972. The Second Stage of the CSCE, at the experts level in Geneva from September 18, 1973 to July 21, 1972; and the Third, final Stage of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in Helsinki at the level of the chiefs of the states or governments from July 30 to August 1, 1975, showed activity of Yugoslav representatives on those conferences and Yugoslav contribution to preparation of conference documents:
"Blue Book" containing "Recommendations of Helsinki Consultations" of Conference agenda, its organization, participants, beginning date, operating regulations, financing. Recommendations were published on June 8, 1973
- "Blue Book" containing "Recommendations of Helsinki Consultations" of Conference agenda, its organization, participants, beginning date, operating regulations, financing. Recommendations were published on June 8, 1973
- "Final Document" included respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, invited to free circulation of information, people and ideas, offered better possibilities for commercial exchanges and in other fields and reaffirmed basic principles of relations between countries such as non-intervention in internal affairs, sovereign equality and respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of frontiers and possibility to change them peacefully. The Final Document was published on August 1, 1975 on six languages. It was signed by all chiefs of delegations, participants at the Conference.
The exhibition and the Serbian- English catalogue was prepared by Dušan Jončić, Jelena Đurišić and Miroslav Medaković.
Documents and photographs presented at the exhibition are from the fonds and collections of the Archives of Yugoslavia, Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Museum of the History of Yugoslavia.
The exhibition will be opened until December 29, 2015, every working day from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE OPENING IN BELGRADE
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