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Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V a a D E VOLUME 17 NO 5 JAN 31- FEB 6, 2007

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Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V a a D E VOLUME 17 NO 5 JAN 31- FEB 6, 2007 Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 17 NO 5 JAN 31- FEB 6, 2007 Adriatic-Baltic-Atlantic meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Defence in Tallinn on 5-6 February. FOREIGN NEWS FOREIGN NEWS Adriatic, Baltic and Atlantic Ministers Discussed Estonia Backs Further Enlargement Security Cooperation of NATO Feb 6 - During a meeting of foreign and defence ministers Feb 6 - Estonian Prime Minister Andrus of countries of the US-Adriatic Charter and the US-Baltic Ansip said Estonia is in favour of a Charter in Tallinn, regional security topics of the Western strong NATO and backs the alliance's Balkans as well as integration of those countries into further enlargement. Euro-Atlantic structures was discussed. Meeting with foreign and defence Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said the main reason ministers from the countries of the US- why such a format was chosen was to relay the Baltic States' Adriatic Charter and the US-Baltic Charter in fresh experience from accession to NATO to the countries of Tallinn, the prime minister said that Estonia Western Balkans and also to hear their problems and relay supports the integration of the entire Balkans them to the NATO partners. region with Euro-Atlantic structures and "NATO must make sure it sends out clearer signals than so considers it important to relay its accession far over enlargement," Paet said. and reform experience to politicians and In multilateral meetings held as part of the Tallinn meeting, officials alike. regional security topics of the Western Balkans, including Ansip stressed that an invitation to join matters related to Kosovo, as well as their impact on European NATO is not secured until it is issued and security in wider terms were under discussion. Participants also that the countries need to work hard to discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq. receive it. Rosemary DiCarlo, the US deputy assistant secretary of Estonia understands how important NATO state responsible for southern Central Europe at the State membership is for countries of the Adriatic, Department, said that all the countries of the Western Balkans as the prospect of membership serves as a that took part in the meeting had made great progress strong stimulus to executing changes, the recently. DiCarlo said it was the alliance's goal to integrate Prime Minister said. countries of the Western Balkans into Euro-Atlantic structures. The Estonian premier also thanked the Estonia's Defence Minister Jürgen Ligi said he was glad that United States for its strong support to new the countries which took part in the meeting had clear visions. democracies in their NATO-related aspirations. (To be continued on page 2) FOREIGN NEWS At a meeting in Tallinn with his counterpart from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mladen Ivanić Paet said Continued from page 1 that Estonia backs the reforms being carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, having arranged training in Ligi added that it was exciting for the Baltic freedom of the media, information policy, States to observe the progress of defence reforms in privatization and development of administrative the Western Balkans and that the process was capacity, and is ready to continue sharing its reciprocal. experience. Likewise, military personnel from Bosnia The defence ministers stated that Baltic defence and Herzegovina are also in the future awaited to cooperation was one of the key elements in Baltic study at the Baltic Defence College. States' road to NATO and that the partners from the Speaking about relations between the countries, US-Adriatic Charter nations could benefit from the the ministers stressed the need to promote relations Baltic experience. They said that Adriatic and Baltic still more actively on all levels and sign a set of countries were taking seriously the commitment to agreements. contribute to the wider security as all the countries The ministers also talked about aspirations of were making a visible contribution to the ongoing Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the EU and NATO. NATO operations in Afghanistan. Ivanić offered an overview of the post-election The ministers agreed that in order to make more situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the beneficial contributions, the countries had to adapt progress of reforms. their armed forces to better meet the challenges of As Paet said, Estonia has always been in favor of changing security environment. a clear European prospect regarding the countries of The ministers acknowledged that today's security Western Balkans. "At the same time, for the signing challenges demand more professional forces with of a stabilization and association agreement reforms more sophisticated equipment and technology at have to be carried out," he said. their use. Ivanić expressed his satisfaction with the decision The meeting in Tallinn was attended by foreign made at the NATO summit in Riga to invite Bosnia and defence ministers and high-ranking officials of and Herzegovina to join the NATO Partnership for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Lithuania, Peace program. Paet said that this decision was in Latvia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, as well line with Estonian stance. as the high-ranking official from the US State "The accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Department. Montenegro and Serbia to the Partnership for Peace program will enable NATO to best support positive Foreign Minister: Talks with Macedonia on developments in those countries," the Estonian Visa Facilitation Must Give Rapid Results Foreign Minister said. Feb 6 - Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and his Macedonian colleague Antonio Montenegro Thanked Estonia for Rapid Milošoski discussed the topic of facilitation of Establishment of Ties visa regulations. Feb 6 - Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister As regards bilateral relations, the parties Urmas Paet in Tallinn, Montenegrin Foreign observed with satisfaction that relations have Minister Milan Roćen thanked Estonia for rapid significantly intensified, which is demonstrated also establishment of diplomatic relations with by the recent high-level visits. Montenegro. The Estonian minister said he was pleased with During the meeting of the two foreign ministers, Macedonia having opened its diplomatic relations between the countries and Montenegro's representation in Tallinn in January. Paet said he aspirations for EU and NATO membership were was confident that the representation would discussed. significantly contribute to communication between Roćen expressed gratitude to Estonia for rapid the two countries and their closer contacts. establishment of diplomatic ties and underscored It was agreed that an agreement of the that Estonia was the first country to appoint its avoidance of double taxation would be signed ambassador to Montenegro after the country already this year. regained its independence. He also described Macedonia is seriously interested in tapping into Estonia as having always been a great example for Estonia's experience in the field of information Montenegro. technology, Milošoski said. The ministers were unanimous on the need to Besides, Paet stressed Estonia's firm support for promote economic cooperation between the Macedonia’s s for EU membership. countries. Facilitation of visa regulations, for instance, show Paet reaffirmed Estonia's support for in the clearest manner that concrete steps are being Montenegro's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and voiced taken toward the EU, he said. recognition of the completion of negotiations on the "We are of the opinion that the talks on visa stabilization and association agreement. facilitation that have been started must produce a Now the country has to continue fulfilling the clear and rapid result," Paet said. assumed obligations, he added. Estonia was the first country to establish Estonia Is Ready to Continue Sharing Its diplomatic relations with Montenegro, doing it on Experience with Bosnia-Herzegovina June 13 last year. Estonia is represented in Montenegro by a non-resident ambassador, Karin Feb 5 – Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that Jaani. Estonia is prepared to continue sharing its experience with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Estonia and Serbia Need to Enhance the opportunities for the general stabilization of the Business Contacts region, in the problems on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the refugee camps, and the alleged cross- Feb 7 – Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet border movement of extremist Taliban fighters. and Serbia's Deputy Foreign Minister Bratislav The Pakistani Ambassador said that he considers Djordjevic found that the two countries need his main objective to strengthen relations between direct business contacts. Estonia and Pakistan, especially in economic and The ministers agreed that relations between the commercial fields, which today are the key to the countries are good, but need to be intensified on all promotion of other relations. The Ambassador also levels. presented Pakistan’s position regarding the Estonia supports the reforms that are being problems and developments in Afghanistan. carried out in Serbia and is ready to share its experience with that country, Estonia's foreign Estonian Ambassador to Sweden Handed minister said. „Estonian businessmen are interested in Serbia. over Credentials Last year Estonia’s biggest software-company Feb 1 - Estonian Ambassador to Sweden Alar invested in Serbia,” he added. Streimann handed over his credentials to King Paet reaffirmed Estonia's support for the reforms Carl XVI Gustaf. carried out in Serbia, saying that
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