Overview of Worldwide Bilateral Relations
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Overview of worldwide bilateral relations North America, Western and South Europe The year 2006 culminated in two very high-level visits to Estonia, which crowned the long-term good and fruitful relations that Estonia has had with the United Kingdom and the United States. These visits will very defi nitely leave an impressive imprint in the history of Estonia’s foreign relations. On 19–20 October 2006, the head of state of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, paid a state visit to Estonia. This was the fi rst time that a British monarch visited the Republic of Estonia. The visit was in rec- ognition of the good cooperative relationship that exists between the two countries, and of Estonia as a reliable partner in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. In the course of their visit, the royal couple met with President Toomas Hendrik Ilves; at the Maritime Museum they commemorated the British sailors who had fallen in the Estonian War of Independence (1918–1920) with a moment of silence at their memo- rial plaque; met with the Estonian Afghanistan military contingent; and, aboard the warship HMS Liverpool, unveiled the offi cial emblem of the fi rst Sandown class mine- sweeper that Estonia is buying from the UK. This warship, which will arrive in Estonia during the year 2007, will be named the Admiral Cowan in honour of Rear Admiral Walter Cowan, who had commanded the British naval squadron in the Estonian War of Independence. The highlight of the visit proved to be the concert in the Town Hall Square, at which the royal couple was introduced to Estonia’s choral singing tradition by a 700 member mixed chorus formed especially for this event. In honour of the royal couple, President and Mrs Ilves gave a festive dinner in the historical Blackheads’ House, in the centre of Tallinn’s picturesque Old Town. At the reception hosted by the UK’s ambassador, Nigel Haywood, in KUMU, Estonia’s new national gallery, the in- ternationally acclaimed Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir performed, conducted by Paul Hillier. The foreign minister of the UK, Margaret Beckett, who accompanied the royal couple on their visit, had a separate working lunch with Estonia’s foreign minister, Urmas Paet. The highlight of the relations with the United States was, no doubt, the visit that President George W. Bush paid in November to Estonia, accompanied by Secretary of 97 2006 ESTONIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS YEARBOOK State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, and several other senior White House offi cials. President Bush met with President Ilves and Prime Min- ister Andrus Ansip. In conjunction with the NATO Summit that began the next day in Riga, the meeting in Tallinn was also devoted to the promoting of democracy, as well as to Estonia’s role in this endeavour and the example we are able to set for the countries undergoing a reform process in the EU’s neighbourhood. President Bush also met with outstanding Estonians who, with advice or other resources, have gone to aid countries that are reconstructing themselves. The US president praised Estonia’s suc- cessful economic reforms, as well as thanked Estonia for the help that we have given to the strengthening of freedom and democracy in the world, and especially for our participation in the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Estonia, in turn, thanked the US for its non-recognition of the Soviet occupation of Estonia, and for the support that we received during our accession to NATO. Estonia’s and America’s common values and unwavering friendship were again confi rmed and reinforced by the spirit of unity that the visit generated. 28 August was the 15th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and the Baltic states, and the 85th anniversary of the original establishing of diplomatic relations. To mark the occasion, a symposium and an ap- propriate exhibit were organised at the German foreign ministry. The symposium’s keynote speaker was Germany’s former foreign minister, Hans Dietrich Genscher. Estonia was represented by the Foreign Ministry’s secretary general, Matti Maasikas, and by a prominent member of the Riigikogu (Estonian parliament), Mart Laar, who is also a former prime minister. The year 2006 also brought with it many essential visits in the sphere of Estonian- German relations, which confi rms the continued existence of a very good mutual relationship. On 3 February, in Berlin, within the framework of the annual 3+1 con- sultations, the foreign ministers of the Baltic states and Germany met. In the course of the ninth meeting of this kind, the Baltic and German colleagues concentrated upon the future of the European Union; the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP); the situation in the Western Balkans; and upon something that is on everyone’s mind these days – energy policy. Foreign Minister Paet also had a bilateral meeting with his German colleague. On 3–5 April, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip paid a visit to Germany, in the course of which, many interesting meetings took place. The most noteworthy was with Chan- cellor Angela Merkel, where the main topics for discussion were the future of the European Union, as well as the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). In Berlin, the prime minister also met with the German ministers of fi nance and economic affairs. Prime Minister Ansip also decorated the former chancellor, Helmut 98 OVERVIEW OF WORLDWIDE BILATERAL RELATIONS 2006 Kohl, with the 1st Class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, which had been awarded to Chancellor Kohl by the Estonian president, for having supported Estonia’s aspira- tions towards independence. On 3–4 April, Prime Minister Ansip also had a chance to visit the German state of Saxony, where he met the local prime minister, Georg Milbradt. Together they visited the historical Frauenkirche church in Dresden. A continued great interest in Estonia is providing excellent opportunities for expand- ing cultural, press, and educational contacts in Germany. In the course of 2006, the Estonian Embassy and its cultural attaché were able to organise a great many cultural events, like various exhibitions and literary evenings. Several large-scale concerts also took place, which were conducted by internationally acclaimed Estonian conductors Anu Tali, Eri Klas, and Paavo Järvi. In October, Mr. Järvi assumed the position of head conductor the prestigious symphony orchestra Hessische Rundfunk. Noteworthy is the fact that an Estonian, Mihkel Kütson, won the new German Conductor Prize, which was awarded for the fi rst time in 2006. An important event for promoting Es- tonia took place in Hamburg on 5–7 May, when the city’s harbour celebrated its 817th anniversary (817 Hafengeburtstag Hamburg), where Estonia was the guest of honour of the celebrations. On 15 November, the new Estonian embassy building was opened in the Nether- lands. At the festive opening ceremony in The Hague, Foreign Minister Paet stressed that an embassy does not just embody political and diplomatic relations, but its func- tion is to also form a bridge between the people of the two countries. Estonia’s new, dignifi ed Embassy will, no doubt, perform this function very well. A confi rmation of the very good bilateral relations between Estonia and the Netherlands was also the working meeting that was held between the foreign ministers of the two states before the opening of the embassy building. The matters discussed at the meeting between Bernard Bot and Urmas Paet were the bilateral relations of the two countries, as well as questions dealing with the EU and NATO. In September, Portugal’s deputy foreign minister, Manuel Lobo Antunes, with Prime Minister Ansip also being present, opened the Portuguese Embassy in Tallinn. Thanks to the energetic activity of the Portuguese Embassy, several events took place in Esto- nia, which helped to popularise Portuguese culture. A very positive step in the devel- opment of bilateral relations was the concluding of cooperation agreements between Portugal’s Camões Institute and the Estonian universities in Tartu and Tallinn. This will ensure the teaching of Portuguese in these Estonian institutions of higher learn- ing, as well as the availability of appropriate textbooks and other learning materials. In December 2006, Prime Minister Ansip paid a working visit to Portugal. 99 2006 ESTONIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS YEARBOOK In 2006, several cultural events, organised by the Spanish Embassy, took place in Tallinn. And in May, Spain’s minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Miguel Angel Moratinos, visited Tallinn. On 3 April the Secretary General of the Estonian foreign ministry Matti Maasikas opened the third Estonian Honorary Consulate in Greece, in the harbour city of Patra. The new honorary consul, Mrs. Irene Panagopoulus, is one of the co-owners of the shipping com- pany Superfast Ferry. Within the framework of the secretary general’s visit to Greece, the two states concluded on 4 April an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fi scal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital. Estonia’s good relations with Cyprus culminated, in the second half of the year, in high-level visits. On 5 October, the foreign minister of Cyprus, Geoorge Lillikas, who had assumed offi ce in June, paid a working visit to Estonia. A few weeks later, on 23–25 October, Prime Minister Ansip paid an offi cial visit to Cyprus. Within the framework of the visit, a photo exhibit depicting Estonian scenery was organised. Estonia’s relations with Turkey have been very good and active, and stretch as far back as 1935, when Turkey’s ambassador, Nuri Batu, presented his credentials.