Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 19 NO 15 APR 8 - 14, 2009 FOREIGN NEWS FOREIGN NEWS Paet Discusses Economics, North Korea with Chinese Representatives 8 April - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Deputy Director of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Chen Fengxiangi emphasised during their meeting in Tallinn the importance of international co-operation for overcoming the global economic crisis. Foreign Minister Paet confirmed that the G20 is the appropriate forum for such co- operation. Foreign Minister Paet stated that economic and trade relations between Estonia and China are good. “We would still like to further enliven Latvian President Valdis Zatlers and Estonian President Toomas Estonia-China economic relations,” Hendrik Ilves spoke at the Estonia-Latvia Business Forum at the Paet stressed. “The Estonia-China Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 8 April. economic co-operation commission meeting this fall in Tallinn will play Presidents Ilves and Zatlers Encourage Economic Co- an important role in intensifying operation economic co-operation,” Paet added. 8 April - As part of Latvian President Valdis Zatlers’ state visit to During the meeting, they also Estonia, an Estonia-Latvia Business Forum took place in the addressed issues related to North Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event was Korea. Paet and Fengxiang both organised in co-operation with the Latvian Investment and acknowledged that achieving peace Development Agency, the Tallinn Business Agency, and Enterprise and stability on the Korean peninsula Estonia. is essential. “It is necessary for North The forum was opened by the president of the board of the Chamber Korea to adhere to and honour UN of Commerce Toomas Luman, and opening speeches were given by resolutions and to work in the name President of the Estonian Republic Toomas Hendrik Ilves and President of peace and understanding in north- of the Latvian Republic Valdis Zatlers. Estonian Minister of Economics east Asia, and also to adhere to the Juhan Parts also spoke at the forum. six-party declaration on limiting President Ilves stated, “The common interests of our two nations are nuclear weapons concluded between greater than geographical closeness. We must stick together and co- China, Japan, South Korea, North operate even more than before. Looking past today and the current Korea, the USA and Russia,” Paet crisis into the future, it is essential that businesses participate actively asserted. in shaping the EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy, so that our region will While talking about educational become a better functioning part of the EU internal market.” and cultural relations between the In his opening speech, Latvian President Valdis Zatlers supported two nations, the two parties Ilves’s views and also called upon Estonian and Latvian entrepreneurs expressed satisfaction over long- to have more active co-operation. Regarding the economic crisis, lived and successful co-operation in Zatlers stated, “We must have a strategy for getting out of this crisis.” these fields. Foreign Minister Urmas Estonian Economics Minister Juhan Parts said about the current Paet stated that those interested in economic situation, “During the occupation, we were actually in a so- the Chinese language can learn it at called ‘crisis’ for 50 years. Since we have that experience, we will both Tartu and Tallinn Universities, certainly be able to emerge from this crisis.” and Estonia students have also gone During the forum, director of energy sales of Eesti Energia AS to China to study the language. “We Aivar Tihane introduced his experiences as an Estonian businessman in the hope that soon one will be able to Latvian market. study Estonian in Beijing as well,” Paet said. Continued on page 2 Business Forum region together because joint undertakings have a more effective output. (continued from page 2) The ministers also spoke about co-operation in Director of Sakret AS Andris Vangas gave an the movie industry sphere and between concert overview of the activities of Latvian businessmen in organisations. the Estonian market. Ieva Stukle, an investment counsellor from the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, and Jevgeni Robakov, a Estonian Diplomats Support representative from the law office of Gencs Valters, Entrepreneurial Contacts Abroad talked about co-operation and business 9 April - At the meeting of Estonian opportunities in Latvia. entrepreneurs and diplomats that took place at Within the framework of the business forum, the the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and presentation of the project “Ogu Maize”, which Industry, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet introduces Latvian food in Estonia, took place. A co- emphasised that the Foreign Ministry supports operation agreement was also signed between the the interests of Estonian businesses abroad in director of the Rocca al Mare shopping centre Mati finding both investments and export Pops and the project manager of “Ogu Maize” Aigars opportunities. Strauss. After the agreement was signed, the “In the situation that an Estonian entrepreneur participants were able to sample Latvian foods. needs help finding export markets or an investment, the Foreign Ministry is prepared for multi-faceted co- Foreign Minister Paet Hopes for Visa operation with the Chamber of Commerce and Freedom with Brazil Soon Industry and the entrepreneur,” Foreign Minister Paet noted during the meeting. “For example, 8 April - During his meeting with Brazilian potential partners of Estonian businesses have an Foreign Minister Celso Luiz Nunes Amorimi in increasingly easier time travelling to Estonia from Istanbul, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet countries that have no Estonian representation expressed hoped that visa freedom for thanks to the visa representation agreements we Estonian citizens travelling to Brazil would be have signed,” Paet added. implemented soon. The Estonian ambassadors to Central and Eastern Foreign Minister Paet said that reciprocal visa European nations were meeting with representatives freedom for citizens from both countries would be a of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry good basis for the further development of bilateral and entrepreneurs for the second time in recent relations. months so that the promotion of Estonian economic “Resolutions to almost all the essential issues interests abroad could be supported by close have been reached in the visa discussions between contacts between businessmen and the foreign Brazil and the European Commission,” Paet service. The last similar meeting was held in explained about current developments in the visa December 2008. freedom process. “We hope that at the meeting of “The Foreign Ministry and its diplomats actively the European Commission and Brazil in April, it will follow the interests of Estonian entrepreneurs and be possible to finalise the text for the visa are prepared to support the activities of Estonian agreement so that the visa freedom agreement businessmen by finding foreign contacts and between the Commission and Brazil can be signed opportunities,” said Paet. this spring,” Paet noted. Paet and Amorim also discussed Estonia-Brazil relations and agreed that developing trade and Estonia Fourth in EU in Terms of Civilian exchanging business delegations would give Mission Experts per Number of Population momentum to economic relations. “Brazil is the 13 April (BNS) - Estonia has dispatched 16 most important Latin American business partner for experts to civilian missions of the European Estonia,” Paet stated. Foreign Minister Paet also Union; in terms of experts per number of issued an invitation for his Brazilian colleague to population, Estonia ranks fourth in the visit Estonia. European Union. Of the 16 experts Estonia has dispatched to Estonian, Latvian Culture Ministers civilian missions, six are contractual experts, it Discuss Entry of Baltic Chain onto appears from statistics of the Foreign Ministry. In UNESCO List absolute figures most EU member countries have dispatched more experts than Estonia. But when 8 April (BNS) - Laine Jänes and Ints Dalderis, looking at number of experts dispatched per number culture ministers of Estonia and Latvia of population, Estonia ranks fourth among member respectively, discussed the entry of the Baltic countries of the EU. Chain into the UNESCO Memory of the World The list is headed by Finland, which has Register during their meeting in Tallinn. The dispatched a total of 111 experts to civilian countries filed the application for it jointly and the missions, one expert per 47 300 residents. Sweden decision will apparently be made public this (114 experts, one per 62 914 residents), Denmark summer. (87 experts, one per 63 324 residents) and Estonia, Jänes and Dalderis also discussed issues one expert per 81 211 residents, follow. connected with creative economy. Both Estonia and The United Kingdom (160 experts, one per 381 Latvia have the aim of channelling as much 958 residents), Cyprus (two experts, one per 398 structural funds as possible into creative industries, 370 residents, and Spain (61 experts, one per 664 and the ministers also found that it was necessary to 344 residents) bring up the rear. plan development of the cultural export of the Baltic the international visibility of the school is an DOMESTIC NEWS important goal. “We must make joint efforts to maintain the school as an international educational Estonian National Museum Celebrates institution," Aaviksoo said. th 100 Anniversary At