Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 20 NO 38 OCT 29 – NOV 4, 2010 FOREIGN NEWS FOREIGN NEWS Estonia Supports Activities of Civil Mission in Kosovo 2 November - The Foreign Ministry is supporting the International Civilian Office (ICO) in Kosovo with 1.5 million kroons (95 870 EUR). Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the goal of the civil mission is to monitor the implementation of Martti Ahtisaari’s plan by the government of Kosovo and co- ordinate the international community’s activities. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet with Canadian Minister of International Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said Trade Peter Van Loan, 4 November. that in order to develop the nation, Foreign Minister Paet Discusses Estonian Air Plane Kosovo needs to move forward with Purchase with Canadian Trade Minister Van Loan establishing the principles of rule of law, integrating Kosovo’s Serbian 4 November - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, who is in Canada for an community, and decentralising. official visit, said in his meeting in Ottawa with Canadian “The ICO has managed to do a lot International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan that Estonian Air’s in this area. For example, the civil purchase from the Canadian company Bombadier Aerospace is one mission has supported the creation of the most notable recent transactions in Estonia-Canada of many Kosovan state institutions economic relations. Van Loan, who has Estonian roots, said it is good and helped to mark off the southern that the Estonian national airline will begin using aircraft manufactured in border of Kosovo. They have also Canada. been able to create contacts with Foreign Minister Urmas Paet expressed support for the conclusion of a Kosovo’s Serbian population and free trade agreement between the EU and Canada. “The negotiation help decentralise the administration process with Canada has progressed smoothly, and hopefully an of Kosovo’s government,” he noted. agreement can be concluded in 2011. The EU would like to facilitate trade The activity of the civil mission ties with nations that share values with the Union,” Paet stated. “An EU includes support for Kosovo’s free trade agreement with Canada would improve competitiveness and economic development, within the provide new opportunities for Estonian entrepreneurs to expand their framework of which co-operation activities in Canada,” added the Estonian foreign minister. The European has been done with the IMF. “With Union is Canada’s second most important trade partner. the help of the ICO, it is also Paet stated that the Estonia-Canada youth exchange agreement that possible to send the necessary came into effect on 1 August provides a good opportunity to develop co- experts to Kosovo to help with operation between education institutions and businesses in the two reorganising and carrying out countries. “The agreement offers young people opportunities to reforms,” said Paet. supplement their academic or vocational education, gain work experience, The International Civilian Office and become familiar with another nation’s culture and society,” stated has been working in Kosovo since Paet. Thanks to the agreement, students and university students can 2008. The ICO is led by Pieter work in the host country and receive supplementary education for Feith, who is also the European advancing their careers on the basis of a pre-arranged work contract. Union Special Representative in In 2009, Canada was in 19th place in terms of total turnover among Kosovo. The ICO consults for the Estonia’s trade partners. Last year Estonia imported goods valuing 166 Kosovan government and million kroons (10.6 million EUR) from Canada, and import to Canada community leaders and works in reached 2 006 million kroons (128.2 million EUR). The large trade surplus close co-operation with the is due to the export of mineral fuels that do not meet the European Union European Union special envoy to standards. In addition to energy sources, Estonia also sells machinery and Kosovo, the local office of the equipment, animal products, and prepared food and drink products to European Commission, and the EU Canada. rule of law mission (EULEX Kosovo). Foreign Minister Urmas Paet also met with Speaker of the Canadian Estonia has six experts participating House of Commons Peter Milliken. The foreign minister visited a session of in EULEX. the House of Commons as well. European Court of Human Rights Rules in on an equal footing,” he explained. He added that Estonia’s Favour in Military Pensions Case the first thing that needs to be done is to sign off on key agreements between the countries, such as the 4 November - Today the European Court of investment protection agreement and agreement Human Rights ruled in Estonia’s favour avoiding double taxation. regarding the complaints of 45 retired Russian During the meeting President Karimov expressed military servicemen against the Republic of his interest in Estonia’s changeover to the euro and Estonia, finding that Estonia had not violated the recent debates in the European Union about any rights protected by a convention. potential amendments to the Lisbon Treaty. The The applicants of the complaints alleged that Uzbek president is due to visit the EU in Brussels they have been discriminated against and their next January. proprietary rights—the right to a pension—had been Discussing the situation in Afghanistan, Prime violated. The accusers felt that if they are being paid Minister Ansip emphasised that Estonia is a pension on the basis of 1994’s “Agreement contributing to the mission for two reasons: that between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian problems of an international nature like the drug Federation concerning social guarantees for the trade and terrorism need to be dealt with at their military pensioners of the Russian Federation staying roots; and that foreign partners have a very on the territory of the Republic of Estonia”, then important role to play in building up the state in they are left without a pension and they have been newly independent countries or countries that have discriminated against, because generally it is not a regained their independence, as was the case in condition for receiving a pension in Estonia that a Estonia. The Uzbek president agreed with the person may not be receiving a pension from a Estonian prime minister that stability in Afghanistan foreign country as well, but the aforementioned was key to security in the Central Asian region as a Estonia-Russia agreement does contain this whole. stipulation. In their complaint, the accusers based Today also saw the Estonia-Uzbekistan economic their argument on the European Convention for the forum take place, which was opened by the prime Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental ministers of both countries. The main focus of the Freedoms and its Protocol No. 1. forum was identifying specific business In its ruling today, the Human Rights Court found opportunities. Prime Minister Ansip remarked that that the complaint is admissible; however, it Uzbekistan is geographically much closer to Estonia reached the conclusion that the rights of the than most people realise. “There is less distance applicants were not violated. The court noted that a between Tallinn and Tashkent than there is, for situation can only be called discrimination when example, between Tallinn and Lisbon,” he said. equals are not treated equally. The court found that “Distance shouldn’t be a reason for less motivation the plaintiffs were a special case bound by a special for us to work together.” set of rules, and therefore their different treatment The areas of co-operation that generated most was justified. The court also emphasised that there interest at the forum were a potential transit is a wide margin allowed to the state when the issue corridor from Uzbekistan to the Baltic Sea, co- at hand deals with the general measures of operation with regard to oil shale technology, and economic or social strategies. work in the fields of IT, construction and the The court agreed with Estonia’s explanation that production of sterile equipment. A nine-member in the given case one must take into consideration business delegation from Estonia attended the the particular historical context in which the 1994 economic forum. agreement was signed, and also the fact that the In his meeting with Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat retired military servicemen knew the conditions of Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Ansip mentioned tourism, receiving the Estonian pensions at the time that they increased trade and the IT sector as potential areas decided to remain in Estonia. Therefore, the court of co-operation. “20 years ago people from Estonia decided that the applicants are not comparable to were still visiting beautiful cities like Tashkent, any other group of pensioners in Estonia and Samarkand and Bukhara, and we ought to be therefore the rule that is in effect regarding their restoring those ties if we can,” said Prime Minister pensions does not violate their rights. In the case of Ansip. He also highlighted the co-operation potential other complaints issued, the Human Rights Court that lies in the use of infrastructure, such as the ruled the complaints inadmissible. opportunities that would be presented to Uzbekistan Plaintiffs have the right to appeal the case within by access to the Port of Tallinn, as well as three months of the decision being made and partnerships with Estonian Railways and Tallinn request that it be reviewed again by the 17 judges Airport. in the Grand Chamber. Although the two nations entered into diplomatic relations 16 years ago, today’s meetings represented the first high-level visit between Estonia Prime Minister Ansip Meets with Uzbek and Uzbekistan. President and Prime Minister 2 November - Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met Estonia Helps Relieve War Traumas of with Uzbek president Islam Karimov today.