Havel: Communism fell in part thanks to Helsinki movements

The Communist regime collapsed in Europe because of its own internal crisis but also due to the work of the Helsinki movements, so says former Czech President Vaclav Havel. Mr Havel spoke at the start of an international conference in Prague on Sunday, where some 30 experts and eyewitnesses began discussing the contribution of the Helsinki process to the collapse of the Communist bloc. The term "Helsinki process" is used to describe negotiations between the West and the former Eastern bloc, covering commitments in a number of fields, from armament reduction to the protection of human rights.

Author: Jan Velinger