Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 17 NO 6 FEB 7- 13, 2007 QUOTATION OF THE WEEK CULTURAL NEWS Estonian Chamber Choir Received Grammy Award “Moscow views democracy close to its Feb 12 - The 49th annual Grammy award borders as a security risk and autocracy as for best choral performance went to Da a source of stability” Pacem, a collection of works by the renowned Estonian composer Arvo Pärt Toomas Hendrik Ilves, recorded by the Estonian Philharmonic President of Estonia Chamber Choir. 12 February, Berlin The chief conductor and artistic director of the choir since 2001 is Paul Hillier from Britain. In the category of best engineered FOREIGN NEWS classical album the award went to Michael President Ilves Held a Speech at Security Bishop for Enigma Variations by Edward Conference in Munich Elgar and The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra, Four Sea Interludes by Benjamin Feb 10 – Could NATO, instead of the European Union, be Britten, both performed by the Cincinnati the carrot for countries that wish to reform, Toomas Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the Hendrik Ilves asked at the prestigious Wehrkunde Estonian-born Paavo Järvi. Security Conference in Munich. The award ceremony was held at the Ilves recalled that the opportunity to join the European Staples Center in Los Angeles. Union forced the countries in the so-called great enlargement to make great changes, although this was complicated and often painful for countries that had recently escaped FOREIGN NEWS totalitarianism. Foreign Minister Paet: Kosovo “Our success is one of the greatest revolutions in Status Needs to Be Settled contemporary Europe,” said the Head of State, who spoke about the European Union as a regional model for Feb 12 - It is imperative to solve the guaranteeing peace, security, and welfare. “The European question of the status of Kosovo, the Union said that if we want to join them, we must become Estonian foreign minister told his similar to them. The East Europeans managed to achieve European colleagues in Brussels. this.” Foreign ministers from member countries “However, this scenario is no longer open,” remarked Ilves, of the European Union considered the plan who said that the countries with a GDP lower than the drafted by the UN special envoy for Kosovo, European Union average will not be admitted to the union, Martti Ahtisaari, that would give the since many member nations are no longer ready for such an breakaway territory self-governance under enlargement. EU supervision if not full independence. “It will be a long time before we can speak of a new Estonia backs Ahtisaari's work to settle enlargement,” the Estonian Head of State predicted. the status of Kosovo, Urmas Paet said. "We How to assure that peace, security and welfare, not value very highly the work accomplished by unreformed and corrupt governments along with human rights Ahtisaari and accept his proposals for violations, reign along the borders of the European Union, defining the status of Kosovo," he said. asked President Ilves. The EU Neighborhood Policy offers Foreign ministers viewed the former money to reforming countries, but does not provide the Finnish president's proposals as objective prospect of membership in the Union, which would force these and realistic, and expressed support for his countries to make the greatest changes. plan to start consultations between Belgrade “There is one alternative, of course. NATO,” said the and Pristina. Estonian Head of State. “It might just be that NATO The EU foreign ministers also looked at membership represents the carrot that the EU cannot offer.” latest developments in West Balkans, President Ilves also called on the European Union to work Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia, and the out a uniform energy policy, recalling that the Union got its situation in Iran and Middle East. start as a coal and steel community. At that time, countries Speaking about Afghanistan, the that had been at odds were able to surmount their ministers welcomed preparations for the differences, and the European Union needs the same police and expert mission. consensus today. Estonia plans to contribute one police The speech is available here. expert to the mission, the foreign minister added. having a vote and thus Estonia can influence European affairs. "What Estonia says counts," Köhler said. The heads of state also considered further enlargement of the European Union, its neighbourhood policy and developments in Russia. Moscow views democracy close to its borders as a security risk and autocracy as a source of stability, Ilves observed. The two presidents also discussed energy security-related questions, development cooperation, global environmental policies and transatlantic relations. While in Berlin Ilves gave an interview to the radio station Deutsche Welle and Spiegel magazine, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and attended a roundtable of journalists, and lunched German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Munich, with members of parliament, public servants and February 10. Photo: Kai Mörk representatives of think tanks. Estonian President, German Chancellor Estonia Gives Aid to Sudan Refugees Discussed EU Energy Policy, Feb 9 - Foreign Ministry has decided to allocate Constitutional Treaty half a million kroons (EUR 32,000) from its Feb 12 - Meeting in Munich, Estonian President development and humanitarian aid budget to Toomas Hendrik Ilves and German Federal assist the refugees of Southern Sudan and Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged that internally displaced people in that country. relations between the two countries are very Urmas Paet signed an order by which Estonia good. wants to help relieve one of the world's biggest Questions related to the future of the European humanitarian crisis. Union were discussed, including issues related to the At least two million people have died in Sudan treaty establishing the European Constitution and a during a 21-year-old civil war as a result of which uniform energy policy. more than 4.5 million Sudanese people have had to “The formation of a uniform energy market is flee from their homes. extremely important for the welfare and security of Paet said that the political developments in Europe,” said President Ilves. Southern Sudan during the past few years give hope Ilves and Merkel also discussed issues regarding for the restoration of the socio-economic balance the future of the European Union, among others and improvement of the security situation in the those pertaining to the Constitutional Treaty and the area. common energy policy. "Estonia's support to activity of the World Food Merkel said that Estonia had no problematic Program in Southern Sudan will contribute to the issues in the European Union and asked for Estonia's alleviation of the situation of those returning home," support for progress in matters relating to the EU Paet said. Constitutional Treaty during the German presidency The UN program has launched a new major aid period. operation in the North African country aimed at President Ilves pointed out that despite support providing food to 5.5 million people. to the European Union in Estonia during the More than 682 thousand tons of food is required accession referendum was the lowest among the to do it. The total cost of the operation is 8.2 billion new member countries, the situation has changed kroons and it will last until the end of this year. by now and popular support is the highest among The sum total of development and humanitarian countries that acceded the EU in 2004. aid means in the ministry's budget is 23 million The parties also stated that regardless of kroons (EUR 1.47 mln) in 2007. problems it was important to involve Russia into the discussion over important issues, such as energy Foreign Minister Paet: Estonia Ready to policy and international key issues. Join OECD Both Ilves and Merkel underlined the importance of transatlantic cooperation and found that tensions Feb 13 - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet confirmed between some EU countries and the United States a Estonia's wish and readiness to join the few years ago were regrettable. Organization for Economic Cooperation and On his visit to Germany, President Ilves also met Development at a meeting with the deputy with his German counterpart Horst Köhler in Berlin. secretary-general of the organization, Kiyotaka Presidents talked about the future of Europe. Akasaka, in Paris. "Estonia is ready to support the aspirations of Paet said Estonia is able to make a contribution Germany as the presiding country of the European to fulfilling the aims of the organization and voiced Union in further handling of the Constitutional the hope that Estonia would get an invitation already Treaty. Implementation of the Constitutional Treaty in May. is a priority for both Estonia and Germany," Ilves According to Akasaka, Estonia is one of the said. countries whose candidacy for membership is According to the German president, one of the seriously considered. strengths of the EU lies in each member country Estonia and Sweden Concerned About the United Nations as its own opportunities in the Environmental Risks in Baltic Sea prevention and management of disasters are limited. Feb 9 - Meeting in Tallinn, Estonian Prime Laos is situated in a high disaster potential area Minister Andrus Ansip and Per Westerberg, where major floods wreaking havoc in the mainly Speaker of the Swedish parliament, underlined agricultural country occur with nearly annual the need to pay more attention to ensuring frequency. Droughts, too, are frequent, as are land environmental safety in the Baltic Sea. slides and forest fires. Westerberg said Sweden carefully observed Assessment and consultancy missions are among progress of the gas pipeline project to be laid on the the newest developments in the UNDAC concept. bottom of the Baltic Sea and found it was necessary Earlier UN missions have assessed the situation and to thoroughly analyze all the potential dangers to coordinated aid in the first days of major disasters.