In view of the world-historical importance of the archival materials now becoming available in the successor states of the Soviet Union and of the need of scholars there and throughout the world to consult these records, the Council of the American Historical Association pledges its support to our colleagues striving to preserve and share this legacy, and proposes:

1. That scholars, foundations, industry, and government promote international cooperative endeavors to defray the enormous costs of preservation and maintenance; to generate finding aids, inventories, and printed guides accessible to the scholarly public; to supply archives with the best technology; and to publish documentary series of significant source materials.

2. That open access to archives be maintained to scholars of all countries, and where possible, microfilm and photocopying be available at a reasonable price.

3. That this proposal, made in view of the urgency of the particular situation in the former Soviet Union, encourage scholars and archivists elsewhere in the world to promote similar international cooperative endeavors for the preservation of research materials and open access to collections.

Passed by Council, December 30, 1992