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Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 18 NO 46 NOV 26- DEC 2, 2008 FOREIGN NEWS FOREIGN NEWS President Says Baltic Sea Strategy Must Be Open To Change 26 November - The Baltic Sea strategy must be flexible and remain open to changes both in the European Union and on the world scene, while paying special attention to regional integration and free movement of knowledge, the Estonian president says. Addressing a conference in Tallinn dedicated to the Baltic Sea Region Strategy, Head of State Toomas Hendrik Ilves said the EU membership of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia has practically turned the Baltic Sea into an inland sea of the bloc. He said this means an improved environment for finding solutions to regional challenges which in turn should lead to The NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, 2 December NATO significant progress in the EU as a whole. Paet: NATO’s Close Co-operation with Ukraine The region has a wide range of problems, starting with the environment and the economy and Georgia Will Continue and ending with education and innovation, not to 2 December - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet participated mention social and cultural issues, Ilves said. in a meeting of the NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. In his words, the Baltic Sea strategy has to be The foreign ministers discussed further co-operation with open to changes that may change strategic Ukraine and Georgia and relations with Russia. priorities. Estonia is currently focusing on three The NATO foreign ministers emphasised the need to policy areas: economic and spatial integration, implement the decisions of the Bucharest summit as well as the marine environment and shipping, and a the importance of adhering to the values that form the knowledge-based society. backbone of the alliance. Foreign Minister Paet stated that Integration of the western and the eastern democratic nations that fulfil requirements should have the parts of the Baltic Sea deserves special attention opportunity to join NATO in the future. as the mainstay of the bloc's economic According to Paet, Georgia and Ukraine have fulfilled the integration -- free movement of goods, capital, requirements set by NATO and shown a firm desire to people and services -- is not working properly continue fulfilling tasks to reform their nations. “Therefore yet, Ilves said. Connection of power networks Georgia and Ukraine would be ready to join the Membership and improvement of the energy infrastructure to Action Plan (MAP). However, since the MAP, which was create a well-functioning internal energy market initially created as a technical instrument, is now overly is a crucial field of co-operation, and full politicised, they must continue to fulfil the Bucharest summit liberalisation of the services sector is another. decisions within other existing formats,” said Paet. The Thirdly, a knowledge-based society needs foreign minister stated that NATO’s close co-operation with particular attention, Ilves said. "Our wish is to Ukraine and Georgia must continue within the framework of achieve within the EU an environment conducive the NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia Commissions. to research and development. Let us begin While talking about NATO-Russia relations, Paet stated creating this environment on Baltic shores," he that the unilateral recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia said. is against international norms and is therefore unacceptable. The president stressed that all regional “NATO is a values-based alliance that considers international organisations and co-operation platforms have a law to be very important,” emphasised Urmas Paet. Paet specific role in the strategy and the programme stated that continuing communication with Russia is should support rather than duplicate their necessary, but it can be based upon the events of the past activities. few months, including the attack on Georgia. Considering the diversity of the countries Also discussed at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting around the Baltic Sea, the Baltic Sea programme were topics related to the NATO-led Afghanistan operation could be a good example and a testing ground and the situation in Kosovo and the Western Balkans in for the EU's aspirations to create a well- general. The NATO-Ukraine and the NATO-Georgia functioning internal market, Ilves said. With Commissions both met as well, the latter for the first time regional success, good practices could be within the foreign minister format. employed elsewhere as well. In view of this, the Baltic Sea strategy should set ambitious goals and not just aim at rearranging regional policies. Foreign Minister Gives Speech on Fighting Lennubaasi Ohvitseride Kogu), which cost a total of Corruption at Doha Conference 42 000 kroons. The leader of the project was the head of the apron service team at Kabul 30 November - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet International Airport, Senior Sergeant Major Kaido gave a speech at the International Conference Külasalu. on Financing for Development in Doha, Qatar. The goal of the project is to improve the Foreign Minister Paet emphasised that financing operational capabilities of Kabul’s civilian airport and development must go hand-in-hand with reducing increase the safety on the ground at the airport. The corruption and battling against tax evasion. local members of the airport’s apron service team In his speech, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet were given electron top-lights to affix to the roofs of emphasised the role and responsibility of developing cars, reflective vests, directing sticks, and sets of nations in achieving success. “In order to achieve car stickers reading “FOLLOW ME” and “KABUL economic development, developing nations must AIRPORT”. focus on battling corruption and tax evasion,” said Estonian Charge d’Affaires Daniel Erik Schaer Paet. “Neither the donors nor the developing nations stated that Kabul Airport is under a lot of strain due should allow tax evasion, a black economy, under- to the comprehensive rebuilding of Afghanistan, and the-table payments, and corruption,” he stressed. they recently opened a new terminal that is being The Estonian foreign minister stated that donor used to fly 26 000 people on their pilgrimages, or states and those receiving aid must rally together hajjis. Regularly scheduled airliners, civilian and their domestic resources to ensure the effectiveness charter planes, and transport flights all land at Kabul of development. “Regardless of the global economic Airport. “Adopting the use of quality safety crisis, we cannot back down from our primary goal— equipment will help to improve the quality of service decreasing poverty,” emphasised Foreign Minister at the airport, and will also motivate local officials to Paet. “Half of the world’s population lives in total organise their work better and further develop poverty, with an average income of less than one safety-related sectors at the airport,” said Schaer. dollar a day. Developing and transitioning countries With the current project, Estonia is contributing to must decisively take responsibility for ensuring the safety of Kabul International Airport and progress and strengthening their domestic financial increasing the capabilities of the airport. systems,” he added. “The principles of a market Afghanistan is one of Estonia’s priority economy, a strong tax policy, free trade, the development co-operation partners. Since existence of competition, co-operation with the September 2006, an Estonian civilian representative private sector, and an effectively regulated financial has worked in Afghanistan, organising the market are all requirements for economic implementation of development co-operation development and reducing poverty, and developing projects there. Starting in March of this year, an nations should use them to guide their activities,” Estonian medical expert has been co-ordinating the explained the foreign minister. development of the health care sector in Helmand Along with pulling together domestic resources, province. the Estonian foreign minister stated that the establishment of good governing practices is also very important. “If the government bases its activities on the law, then there is hope for more rapid development,” Paet acknowledged. Paet stated that Estonia will continue to contribute to both development co-operation and humanitarian aid. “Helping societies that are in a worse situation than we are is the mission of every respectable nation,” said the foreign minister. The International Conference on Financing for Development that took place from 28 November – 2 December in Doha, Qatar was attended by the leaders and government representatives of all the donor nations and developing countries in the world. During the conference, the Final Report was adopted that marks the halfway point in achieving the UN Charge d’Affaires Daniel Erik Schaer presenting Millennium Development Goals. safety equipment to Kabul Airport’s apron service team, 26 November Estonia Gives Safety Equipment to Apron Service Team of Kabul Civilian Airport Estonian, Portuguese Justice Minister 26 November - Estonian Charge d’Affaires in Demonstrate ID card Facilities to Barroso Afghanistan Daniel Erik Schaer, along with the 27 November - Estonian Justice Minister Rein Estonian military airport apron service team, Lang and his Portuguese colleague Alberto presented Kabul’s civilian airport with safety Costa demonstrated to European Commission equipment that will help to co-ordinate the President Jose Manuel Barroso a new movement of flight vehicles on

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