V. I. Lenin

Outline Programme
For Peace Negotiations [1] (1) The talks shall be political and economic.

(2) The main theme of the political talks and the basic principle shall be: “No annexations or
indemnities”.

(3) Concept of annexation:

(a) non-acceptability of the definition of annexation as lands integrated after the proclamation of the
present war. [The definition of annexation under which only lands integrated after the proclamation of the war are regarded as annexed is rejected.] (b) any territory shall be deemed to be
annexed whose population, over the last few decades (since the
second half of the 19th century), has expressed dissatisfaction
with the integration of their territory into another state, or its
status in the state, regardless of whether such dissatisfaction
has been expressed in writings, decisions of meetings, assemblies,
municipal councils and similar institutions, in state and
diplomatic acts, arising from the national movement in these
territories, in national friction, clashes, disturbances, etc.133 (1) Official recognition for each
(non-sovereign) nation, which is part of a given belligerent
country, of the right to free self-determination, including
secession and formation of an independent state; (2) the right to
self-determination shall be realised through a referendum of the
whole population of the territory seeking self-determination; (3)
the geographical boundaries of the territory seeking self-determination shall be established by democratically elected
representatives of the territory and contiguous territories; (4)
preliminary conditions guaranteeing the exercise of the right of
nations to free self-determination:

(a) withdrawal of troops from the territory seeking self-determination; (b) return to the territory of refugees
and inhabitants expelled by the authorities since the outbreak of
war;

(c) establishment in the given territory of a caretaker administration consisting of democratically elected
representatives of the nation seeking self-determination, with the
right (among others) of implementing Clause (b); (d) establishment under the caretaker
administration of commissions of the contracting parties with the
right of reciprocal control; (e) the expenditure on implementing
Clauses (b) and (c) shall be covered from a special fund set up by
the occupying party.

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Notes:
[1]

Written , it would appear, in connection with the discussion by
the Soviet Government on November 27 (December 10), 1917, of
instructions to the Soviet delegation empowered to negotiate a
peace with Germany at the peace conference at Brest-Litovsk. The
government decision on this question said: 'Instruction on the
Talks, on the Basis of the Decree on Peace."

The peace conference opened on December 9 (22), 1917, and was attended by the Soviet delegation and those of the
Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and
Turkey). At the first sitting tire Soviet delegation read out a
declaration on the peace terms. The other side appeared to agree
to conduct the talks on these terms, but in fact this preliminary
period already revealed Germany's annexationist intentions. On
January 5 (18), the delegates of the Quadruple Alliance made known
their govern-merits' territorial claims to the Soviet delegation. This included a part of Russia which was to be ceded
to Germany and Austria-Hungary (a territory of more than 150,000
square kilometers):

Poland, Lithuania , a part of Estonia and Latvia, and also
sizable areas inhabited by Ukrainians and Byelorussians.