Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 17 NO 15 APR 11- 17, 2007 FOREIGN NEWS Estonia Backs All-Around Strengthening of UN System Apr 17 - Estonia will remain an active member of the United Nations Organization and supports comprehensive strengthening of the UN system, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet told new leaders of the organization in New York. Paet met with Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes. These were his first meetings with members of the new UN leadership. The President of Austria Dr. Heinz Fischer and the According to Paet, development President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves in Tallinn cooperation and humanitarian relief are the on 12 April. areas in which Estonia wishes to make the biggest contribution. FOREIGN NEWS "We also attach importance to human The President of Estonia and Austrian Head of rights, including the situation of indigenous peoples, gender equality, and women's and State Discussed the Future of Europe children's rights," he added. Apr 12 - At a meeting in Tallinn President Toomas The key topic discussed in both meetings Hendrik Ilves and Austrian Head of State Dr. Heinz was the situation in Sudan and what the UN Fischer focused on a discussion about the future of can do to solve the crisis. Speaking about Europe and the European Union’s neighborhood. alleviating the humanitarian crisis there, “Estonia is thankful that Austria, and especially the both Migiro and Holmes thanked Estonia for Federal President Dr. Fischer, has always been a strong support to Sudanese refugees. supporter of Estonian development and our ambitions Estonia considers it important for regarding the European Union,” President Ilves said. “I am international forces to act in close very happy that I can call Estonian-Austrian relations good cooperation to settle the Sudan conflict and in the fields of political, cultural, and economic dialogues.” for the UN to play the leading role in this, The presidents acknowledged that Estonia and Austria Paet said. have become good partners in the European Union and "A good example of international expressed the hope that the process for the European cooperation is the recent UN Human Rights Union Constitutional Treaty will reach a positive solution in Council resolution on Darfur which was the future. adopted by consensus," the Foreign Minister Separately, they discussed research-based cooperation added. between the two countries, which takes place through A five-member Darfur mission whose direct contacts between universities and scientific report and recommendations served as the institutions, as well as within the framework of European basis for the resolution included Estonian MP Union cooperation networks. Mart Nutt as the only representative of the Speaking about the Union’s future enlargement, the UN East European group and the European Estonian Head of State said that enlargement has been one Union. of the most successful policies of the European Union and it At Paet's meeting with Migiro also the deserves further support. “The strategic importance of future of Kosovo, the situation in enlargement cannot be sacrificed to the unfinished internal Afghanistan, frozen conflicts in Georgia, and reforms of the Union, although we agree that upon UN reform were under discussion. enlargement, the acceptance capability of the Union must Paet and Holmes talked also about raising be guaranteed,” said the Estonian Head of State. the efficiency of the cooperation of the UN In regard to the European Union Neighborhood Policy, Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Presidents Ilves and Fischer concentrated their attention on Affairs and the European Commission Ukraine, and expressed concern about the internal political Humanitarian Aid Office. crisis that has developed and conveyed their hope for a "We can see that the UN has the leading democratic solution. role in coordinating international aid in humanitarian crises," Paet said. Continues on page 2 FOREIGN NEWS EU-Russia Accord to Make Readmission Simpler Continued from page 1 Apr 12 - The European Council is about to discuss Monday a readmission treaty between “Estonia supports those neighbours because they the European Union and Russia, which will also have chosen a European road to development,” said ease the sending of people from Estonia to President Ilves, speaking about Georgia and Russia for repatriation. Moldova, as well as Ukraine. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that “We acknowledge the aspirations for reform of earlier, a person could be sent from Estonia back to these countries, but also emphasize that reforms Russia only if he or she agreed to file an application which deepen the traditions of democratic to obtain a document for returning to Russia. governance are important first and foremost for the Under the treaty, the EU and Russia commit countries themselves.” themselves to issuing documents for sending a Speaking about Kosovo, the Estonian and person back to the other country also without an Austrian Heads of State supported the proposal for application from the person. the future status of Kosovo presented by Martti The treaty will ensure fast and effective Ahtisaari, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary- identification and returning of the people who do not General, noting that it is not directed against Serbia meet the valid requirements as regards entry into, in any way. staying and residing in the territory of the EU or Russia. Foreign Ministry Supports Iraqi Refugees The readmission obligation also applies to former citizens of one's own country who have relinquished and Internally Displaced Persons their citizenship but have not obtained the Apr 14 - The Foreign Ministry supports the citizenship or a residence permit of another country. program of the United Nations High The readmission treaty between the EU and Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), in the Russia is planned to step into effect on 1 June this framework of which it has been intended to year. improve the situation of Iraqi refugees as well The treaty also sets out the obligation to readmit as of internally displaced people. citizens of third countries who have entered the EU Foreign Minister Urmas Paet signed a directive from Russia or Russia from the EU. That provision providing for 400,000 kroons to be allocated from would take effect three years after the main treaty, funds earmarked in the Foreign Ministry budget for or on June 1, 2010. development and humanitarian assistance. Estonia sent back 23 persons to Russia in 2005 According to Urmas Paet, the continuation of and 17 last year. violence and conflicts is constantly bringing along new human sacrifices and the socio-economic New US Ambassador to Arrive in Estonia situation of many Iraqis is very bad due to the at the End of April unstable security. „Such a situation has resulted in many Iraqis leaving their homes,” Paet said. „While Apr 17 - The new U.S. ambassador to Estonia, contributing to the alleviation of the situation of Stanley Davis Phillips, was sworn in on 16 April Iraqi refugees, we by that means improve their and is to arrive in Tallinn at the end of this opportunities for returning to normal life,” he added. month. The total number of Iraqi refugees is close to 2 The U.S. Senate approved Phillips' nomination on millions. According to the estimates by international March 7. organizations, at present every eighth Iraqi is a In accordance with diplomatic protocol, he will be refugee. A big part of the refugees is made up by given the title of ambassador after presenting his women and children; the number of elderly people is credentials in Estonia and only thereafter can he also great. The refugees have a limited possibility of start performing his duties as ambassador using medical aid and the majority of children lack extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the United the possibility to go school. There is also an urgent States to Estonia. need for creating temporary asylums. Current plans are for Phillips to arrive in Tallinn The problem of Iraqi refugees is the biggest at the end of April. humanitarian crisis that has overtaken the Middle East since the war of 1948 in the Palestinian-Israeli DEFENCE NEWS territories. Domestically, the number of displaced Estonian Troops Take Part in Large persons according to UNHCR estimates may within Operation in Afghanistan 2007 reach 2.7 millions. Earlier, Estonia has supported the alleviation of Apr 16 - An Estonian infantry company and a Iraq’s humanitarian crisis through the International mine clearance unit have taken part in Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Operation Silver, another step in the anti- Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Taliban offensive Achilles NATO launched in Affairs (OCHA) and through the United Nations Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand Children’s Fund (UNICEF). last month. The volume of funds earmarked for development Besides the British-led provincial military and humanitarian assistance in the Foreign Ministry contingent to which also most Estonian soldiers budget in 2007 is 23 million kroons. belong, U.S., Canadian, Dutch and Afghanistan's national units, around 2,000 troops in all, took part in Operation Silver. The aim of the action was to clear the centre of Leit currently serves as senior staff officer at the the Sangin Valley of Taliban fighters and restore operations department of the Navy Staff. He will be government power in the area. studying at the Naval War College on Rhode Island The Estonian company and the explosive until June. ordnance disposal team operated under the tactical Leit has previously served as chief of staff and command of a U.S. parachute battalion that operations officer with BALTRON. He has been linked ordinarily is not deployed in Helmand province.