Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 16 NO 43 NOV 1- 7, 2006 FOREIGN NEWS Formin: Estonia Ready to Continue Supporting Iraq Nov 7 - Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki and US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad. At both the meetings the focus was on the security situation in Iraq and the possible development scenarios. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Estonia's military contribution to the improvement of the security situation in Iraq was important and expressed the hope that it was the first step on the path of the development of political and economic relations. Paet said that Estonia wanted to have closer relations with Iraq and extended to the Meeting of Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Iraqi prime minister and foreign minister Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki invitations to visit Estonia. in Bagdhad, Nov 6, 2006 The Estonian foreign minister said that Estonia wanted Iraq to become a politically and economically stable, democratic and successful country. "We understand that the Iraqi government is facing a task of great complexity," Paet said. "We support the efforts of the Iraqi government to resolve the conflicts between the various ethnic and religious groups and to involve them in a common national development process," he added. The Estonian foreign minister said that it was important that talks between the European Union and Iraq over a trade and economic cooperation agreement should open soon. "International trade and economic cooperation makes it possible to stabilize the situation in Iraq, as this would improve the living standards of the people," Paet said. "That in turn would increase support among the people to a democratic path of development," he added. The two officials also discussed transfer of the guaranteeing of security to the Iraqi security forces and extension of the international coalition forces' mandate by the UN Security Council. US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad also thanked Estonia for its contribution to Iraq. The parties discussed Iraq's outlook for the future and agreed that a strong Iraq government that is sustainable and capable of taking more and more responsibility for guaranteeing security Meeting of Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and and organization of domestic life was in the US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad interests of both Iraq and the international in Bagdhad, Nov 6, 2006 public. FOREIGN NEWS Formin: Estonia Has High Opinion of Its Formin: Iraq Problem Cannot Be Settled Soldiers Serving in Iraq by Military Action Alone Nov 6 - Estonia has a high opinion of the Nov 6 - Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet soldiers serving in Iraq as well as the said the country’s problems could not be experience they have acquired there, Foreign solved by military action alone. Minister Urmas Paet said in Iraq. Paet said military action and political will "Thanks to that mission we have would have to go hand in hand in Iraq in order to considerably improved our combat tactics, defence achieve a stable and normal situation. forces training and capacity for logistical support," "A solution will not be found through military Paet said. Paet met with Col. James Pasquarette, action alone," said Paet. "Much depends on the st nature of the political decisions and choices made by commander of the 1 Brigade of the 4th Infantry the Iraqi government." Division of the coalition forces as well as Estonian Paet met with Gen. George Casey, soldiers serving in Iraq. commander-in-chief of the international coalition Col. Pasquarette said the cooperation with forces in Iraq, who gave him a thorough overview of Estonians was excellent and the Estonian platoon the security situation in Iraq. Casey expressed was an invaluable ally to the US battle group. support for Estonia's political decision to help the "The Estonians are professional soldiers who international coalition provide security and stability, respect the local population," the colonel said. and expressed his high opinion of Estonian soldiers' "Thanks to this they have been well accepted also contribution. by the local population," he added. Casey said that in 12-18 months, leadership Paet said that Estonia knew very well that in the country could be handed over to the Iraqi the work of the international coalition in Iraq was government supported by the presence of the not yet over. coalition forces. “We have to keep on working side by side The foreign minister also visited the NATO with coalition partners and Iraqi authorities to training mission and met with deputy commander of improve the security situation in Iraq,” Paet said. the mission, Maj. Gen. Ernesto Alviano, who gave an He added that the government had decided overview of the activities of the training mission. to support extension of the mission and to present "As a NATO member state, Estonia supports the issue for discussion to parliament. the decision of the alliance to take responsibility in Paet met with the Estonian infantry platoon critical areas such as the training and supplying of at the Tadji base 40 kilometres north of Baghdad. Iraqi security forces," Paet said. The minister thanked the soldiers for their good The minister said Estonia supported the service. “It was gratifying to hear that the Estonian proposal to give the NATO training mission some unit is highly respected,” he said. civilian duties, such as the training of policemen and "According to the brigade commander, any border guards. task can be entrusted to you and you will do a fine Paet thanked the US and British coalition job carrying it out," Paet told the Estonian soldiers. partners, to whom Maj. Sten Reimann of the The delegation also included chairman of the Estonian defence forces handed over Defence Forces parliament's state defence committee Toivo Tootsen Special Service Crosses to thank them for support and deputy chairman of the foreign affairs for the Estonian defence forces' operations in Iraq. committee Marko Mihkelson, the first Estonian MPs to visit Iraq. According to the legislators, first-hand impressions of the local situation will help them better understand the role and activities of Estonian soldiers as well as deeper perception of the security situation in Iraq. Mihkelson said the visit would certainly help the parliament make the decision on extending the Iraqi mission. Formin: Sentence Means End of Saddam Era Nov 7 - Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said the death penalty handed down to Saddam Hussein, ex-president of Iraq, is important because it means the end of the Saddam era. "Estonia like all other European countries does not resort to capital punishment and believes that also other countries should revise the suitability of the death penalty as a type of punishment," Paet said. "But in Iraq the death penalty is one of the possible options and the Iraqi court found that it is suitable for the crimes Saddam has committed," the foreign minister added. Russian Formin: Relations with Estonia, Latvia Can Be Normalized Nov 3 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Brussels that he could see no serious obstacles for the complete normalization of relations with Estonia and Latvia. "There are no particular obstacles for our relations with Latvia and Estonia to fully normalize," Lavrov said at a meeting of the Russian-EU partnership council. The minister added that trade and economic relations with Latvia and Estonia were developing consistently. He pointed out that in the past several days Russia had been coordinating agreements with Latvia and Estonia to promote trade and economic cooperation and set up bilateral intergovernmental commissions. National contingent commander Major Aron Kalmus Estonian Lawmakers in Moscow Demand Return of President's Badge of Office Nov 1 - Estonian parliament delegation to Moscow raised the issue of the return of pre- war President Konstantin Pats' badge of office at the Russian Culture Ministry where officials expressed support for returning the badge. Russia has no reason to delay the restitution of the presidential badge of office because it is not Russian but Estonian property, the chairman of the parliamentary group for ties with Russia, Sergei Ivanov from the ruling Reform Party, said. Ivanov said the question was raised both at the meetings at the Russian State Duma – the lower At the dining facility Estonian Foreign Minister house of parliament – and at the Culture Ministry Urmas Paet and Major Sten Reimann where the lawmakers asked that everything possible be done to speed up the return of the badge. Russian Culture Ministry officials told the group that the restitution of the badge is being held up in the Foreign Ministry. Ivanov said this was a case of shifting responsibility. "It's not nice to play such games of hide- and-seek in relations between countries, especially when there are no substantive obstacles to returning the badge of office. It's a political decision," Ivanov said. In the meeting at the Culture Ministry also the situation of Finno-Ugric peoples in Russia and Old Believers whom Estonian lawmakers believe Russia should support were under discussion. "The Estonian state is supporting Old Believers with bigger sums both this year and the Estonian soldiers at the combat break at Camp next to help preserve their culture and way of life. Taji In our opinion the question of the Old Believers 3 should be included in the treaty between the with human trafficking is that people taken ministries," Ivanov said. into a strange country are deceived and not aware Communications and the construction of a of their rights. In addition, human trafficking new bridge across the Narva River on the Estonian- diminishes the stability of the country where the Russian border were discussed with the deputy victims are taken.