Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V a a D E VOLUME 17 NO 12 MAR 21- 27, 2006
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Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 17 NO 12 MAR 21- 27, 2006 FOREIGN NEWS DOMESTIC NEWS Estonia's Coalition Not to Change Foreign, Defence Policy Mar 21 - The parties holding coalition talks agreed that Estonia will continue on its present foreign and defence policy course. Meelis Atonen, vice chairman of the Reform Party said that in defence policy the new coalition would continue carrying out the defence forces' development plan until the year 2010 and would take the course toward professional armed forces. As a new development, the coalition would make the role of the Kaitseliit (Defence League) volunteer corps bigger and stronger, and not only in military matters but also in the solving of Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, civilian emergencies, such as large accidents. In Permanent Representative to the EU Väino that connection also financing for Kaitseliit will increase substantially. Reinart and Vice President of European Also discussed were problems of civilian Commission Günter Verheugen in Brussels, 23 control, with the negotiators underscoring the March European Community need to adopt a law on the organization of armed forces. Prime Minister Attended EU Anniversary Mart Laar from the Pro Patria and Res Publica Celebrations in Berlin Union (IRL), said that under the new coalition government the foreign and defence policy will Mar 23 - Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip left be based on same principles as now. for Berlin in order to take part in marking the 50th In defence policy, the parties agreed about anniversary of the Treaties of Rome that laid the raising defence spending to two percent of GDP foundation to the European Union. by 2010 and to fundamentally strengthen the “I do not think that 50 years is midlife for a great role of Kaitseliit, Laar said. union of states and I am sure there is no reason to talk Speaking about foreign policy, Social about midlife crisis,” Ansip said. “This success story lasts Democrats' Vice Chairman Eiki Nestor in his for centuries.” remarks named the EU and relations with the At the invitation of the German Chancellor Angela EU's neighbours and new democracies. Merkel, all the heads of state and government of the European Union participated in the celebration. The functions were ushered in with a concert at the FOREIGN NEWS Berlin Philharmonic, where Beethoven's 5th Symphony President Took Part in Treaties of was performed under Sir Simon Rattle's baton. Rome Anniversary Events in Brussels Federal President Horst Koehler hosted the guests at Mar 23 - President Toomas Hendrik Ilves a dinner at the Bellevue Palace. and Mrs Evelin Ilves flew to Brussels to take A festive meeting took place at the German History part in events marking the 50th anniversary Museum where the Berlin Declaration was signed. The of the signing of the Treaties of Rome at the declaration sums up the achievements of the European invitation of King Albert II of Belgium. Union during 50 years, analyzes the present state of President Ilves participated in the Importance affairs and sets aims for the future. of European Integration seminar at the Belgian The Treaties of Rome were signed on March 25, 1957 Royal Palace, a formal reception hosted by King by the foreign ministers of Belgium, Germany, France, Albert II, and the cultural program of the jubilee Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The most celebration of the Treaty of Rome. important document was the Treaty of the European The Treaties of Rome were signed on March Economic Community with its numerous supplements. 25, 1957 by the foreign ministers of Belgium, Anniversary events took place also elsewhere in France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Europe, they culminated in Berlin, the capital of the Netherlands. German presidency of the EU. The most important of the treaties was the There were also various other events intended for the Treaty Establishing the European Economic public as well as plans to distribute free Bratwurst and Community with its numerous supplements. beer. FOREIGN NEWS Afghanistan, the heartland of the Taliban insurgents, where the heaviest fighting has taken place, Reuters Estonia Hails Signing of Latvian-Russian added. Border Deal Mar 27 - The Estonian Foreign Ministry Estonia Gave Teacher Training Class to welcomed the signing of a treaty delimiting the Moldova border between Latvia and Russia, voicing the hope that its enactment will encourage Mar 23 - Estonia has given to Moldova a teacher Moscow to move ahead also on the Estonian- training class Foreign Minister Urmas Paet Russian border deal. opened during his visit to Chisinau. "We welcome the signing of the Latvian-Russian The Estonian Foreign Ministry financed border agreement," Foreign Minister Urmas Paet installation of the training class and organization of said. "We hope Latvia will also succeed in reaching the conference with more than 700,000 kroons (EUR the final goal - enactment of the border treaty." 44,700) in the framework of the Leap development Our neighbors' success is our success as well and cooperation project. each step forward in putting the European Union- The aim of the project is to help the Moldovan Russian relationship on a firm contractual foundation society purposefully move towards the information serves the interest of the whole bloc and Estonia, society through the computerization of the the minister said. educational system and making the cyberspace Unlike Latvia, Estonia already has a border treaty available to young people. The conference was with Russia which has been signed by both sides in carried out by Estonian teachers and experts. its original negotiated form and also ratified by During his three-day visit Paet also met with Estonia, the minister recalled. Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, Foreign "Prior to the signing of the accord, there was Minister Andrei Stratan and Education Minister Victor consensus in Estonia that it is in full acoordance with Tvircun. the Estonian Constitution," Paet added. "If the With Tvircun cooperation opportunities in the Latvian-Russian border treaty is enacted in the near field of education were discussed. “Greatly with future, this might encourage Russia to proceed also Estonia’s support, today all schools have Internet with the enactment of the treaty with Estonia." connection and every school has a computer class,” Estonia is always ready to give assurances of its the Moldavian Education Minister said. desire for good neighborly relations with Russia and Urmas Paet confirmed that Estonia is ready to of having no territorial claims on Russia or any other continue cooperation in that field. “Moldova’s goal is country, the minister said. to become a modern information society. Using info Estonia and Russia signed the treaties delimiting technology at schools is the best way to achieve it,” the two countries' land and sea borders on May 18, Paet said. 2005 in Moscow. The Estonian parliament ratified Paet also held a speech at an information the accords on June 20 and then President Arnold technology conference addressing 150 Moldovan Rüütel promulgated the ratification act on June 22. headmasters and deputy headmasters. On June 27 Moscow announced it was The conference focused on Estonian-Moldovan withdrawing its signature from the border treaties, relations, Europe's neighborhood policy and citing a preamble added to the ratification act by the opportunities of development cooperation. Besides, parliament as the reason. issues of Transnistria and Moldova's relations with Moscow argues that the preamble allows Estonia its neighbors will be discussed. to press in the future territorial claims against Russia, a claim that Tallinn has repeatedly denied. Estonia to Build New House for Embassy in Riga US Official Acknowledges Estonian Mar 27 - Estonia's Foreign Ministry plans to Contribution in Afghanistan build by 2009 a new house for the embassy in Mar 26 - Washington is grateful to European Riga as the current building is too small and countries such as Britain, Estonia, the has to be shared with some tenants. Netherlands and Romania which have troops Estonia already has a plot for the building within operating in combat zones in Afghanistan, US a ten-minute walk of the Old Town of Riga. It was Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said. given the land by the Latvian government in the Burns at the same time urged European countries 1990s in compensation for a site acquired in the to provide more troops for Afghanistan and to free 1930s. them up for combat. "Imagologically it's a fantastic place for the "There is a need for a greater number of troops Estonian embassy as Viljandi, Valga and Võru from Europe, for a greater degree of flexibility in streets (named after Estonian towns) are nearby," how those troops are allowed to operate," Burns told Ambassador Jaak Jõerüüt said. reporters in Brussels. "The caveats, that limit the The ministry expects to announce a design tactical deployments of troops inside the country, in competition in the second half of this year and our view should be lifted. All states should lift them according to Jõerüüt the building should be and there should be additional economic and completed in 2009 if all goes well. The house should humanitarian aid." include proper reception rooms and the The United States provides about 27,000 of the ambassador's residence as well. 45,000 foreign troops currently in Afghanistan. Some European countries have resisted previous US calls for their troops to be deployed in southern Estonia to Get From Portugal Schengen IT samples lifted from crime scenes. The corresponding Solutions figures for the Estonian register are approximately 15,000 and 5,000, respectively. Mar 26 - Estonia's Interior Minister Kalle Laanet visited Lisbon where the Portuguese minister, Belarus Border Guard Refuses Entry to Antonio Costa, handed over to new member states of the European Union a modified Estonian Member of Parliament version of the IT platform for the Schengen Mar 24 - Belarus border guard refused entry information system.