Highlights of the 1945 Yalta agreement

Agreed to free elections in ``liberated Europe.'' Poland: The Allies agreed that the Lublin Committee -- which the Soviet Union recognized as the provisional government of Poland -- would form the core of a new Poland until free elections were held. The United States and Britain recognized Soviet annexation of portions of eastern Poland acquired in 1939 and agreed that Poland should be compensated along its western border with territory from Germany.

Eastern Europe: A ``declaration of Liberated Europe'' committed the Allies to support early free elections in countries freed from German occupation.

Germany: The Allies reaffirmed their demand for Germany's unconditional surrender, agreed to its partition, to furnish Germans with necessities for survival, to eliminate or control German industries that could be used to make weapons, to try major war criminals, and to set up a commission in Moscow to determine reparations to be made by Germany.

Japan: The Soviets agreed to enter the war against Japan after Germany surrendered. In exchange, the Soviets were to annex southern Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands and get partial control over the Manchurian railroad and an occupation zone in Korea.

The United Nations: The Allies agreed that Byelorussia and the Ukraine could join the UN General Assembly, as well as the Soviet Union as a whole, after the Soviet Union withdrew its bid to have all 16 republics join the General Assembly. -- 30 {et