Estonian Review E E S T I R I N G V A A D E VOLUME 20 NO 6 FEB 3 - 9, 2010 FOREIGN NEWS FOREIGN NEWS Estonia Sending Medical Worker and Mechanic to Support Efforts in Haiti 6 February - Due to the complicated humanitarian situation there, Estonia will soon be sending a medical worker and a mechanic to support the work of rescue teams in Haiti. According to Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, the mission of the medical worker and mechanic will last until the end of April. “The mission of the Estonian logistics experts currently in Haiti will last until the middle of February,” said Paet. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that the humanitarian situation in Haiti Foreign Minister Urmas Paet with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael remains complicated. “In order Spindelegger in Vienna, 8 February. for the aid that has been donated Austria Supports Estonia as Location for EU IT Agency and that will be donated to reach those in need, the international 8 February - In Vienna today Foreign Minister Urmas Paet discussed community must have close co- Estonia’s candidacy to become the location for the European Union operation. Helping to co-ordinate IT agency for justice and home affairs and accession to the euro aid is the goal of the Estonian zone with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger. Austrian logistics experts in Haiti,” Foreign Minister Spindelegger expressed his support for Estonia as the stressed Paet. “At the same time, potential location for the IT agency. we must make plans for the “Taking into consideration Estonia’s highly developed IT sector, we reconstruction and restoration of believe that Estonia possesses all the qualifications to be a good location for Haiti as well,” he added. the agency,” stated the foreign minister. Paet added that it is important to The aid that has been given adhere to the 2003 decision of the European Council, according to which new by Estonia thus far to alleviate European Union agencies should be located in new member states. the aftermath of the earthquake The Austrian foreign minister expressed hope that Estonia will accede to in Haiti totals 5.5 million kroons. the euro zone at the beginning of next year. According to Foreign Minister Three million kroons are reaching Urmas Paet, going over to the euro will significantly increase confidence in Haiti in the form of our and other the stability of the economic environment for Estonian residents and those international experts, and 2.5 investing in Estonia as well as help to ensure the good well-being of the million (160 000 EUR) were economy in the long run. “Estonia considers a strong and stable euro zone to donated through the be important, and its essential cornerstones are the Maastricht criteria and International Federation of Red adherence to the Stability and Growth Pact. Estonia would like to fulfil all the Cross and Red Crescent Societies requirements and join the euro zone at the beginning of 2011,” said Paet. (IFRC). Austria is currently a member of the UN Security Council. Foreign Minister To support the aid activities of Paet stated that Austria’s experience as a UN Security Council member is international organisations, important to Estonia because Estonia is trying for a non-permanent member Estonia sent two 45 m2 tents position in 2020. with floors, furniture and lighting Paet and Spindelegger noted that the Baltic Sea and Danube strategies to Haiti, which are needed to create good conditions for turning the countries in these regions and the provide temporary living and entire EU into a forward-looking and competitive area. “The main goal of the working space for the aid Baltic Sea Region Strategy is to remove bureaucratic obstacles to regional workers. A member of the development—among other things, they affect the realisation of the principle Estonian Rescue Service was of the free movement of good, services and people and the intensification of working in Haiti as part of the co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region,” explained Foreign Minister Paet. European Union evaluation team. Continued on page 2 Austria some time discussing matters related to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Recently Turkey has been active in (continued from page 1) trying to find common elements among the political At their meeting they also discussed energy communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The issues and the related co-operation being done with inability of the communities to agree on the political Eastern Partnership states. Paet said that in order to future and further reforms for the nation has created ensure Europe’s energy security it is necessary to a tense situation which demands the focused diversify suppliers, create additional energy attention of the international community,” Kokk connections between member states, and create a noted. functioning energy market. “The ‘Southern Corridor’ Also under discussion at the meeting were projects — for example Nabucco, ITGI matters related to the Southern Caucasus. “We (Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy), and the White should use all opportunities to gradually reach a Stream gas pipeline — and connections play an peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” important role in increasing the supply security of said Kokk, adding that Estonia welcomes the regular the European Union as a whole. They help to reduce meetings between the Armenian and Turkish dependency on the current major suppliers and presidents and between Azerbaijan and Armenia and diversify supply channels,” added Foreign Minister supports the continuation of dialogue. Paet. The Estonian and Austrian foreign ministers also discussed the situation in the Western Balkans. Estonia Supports Japan in UN Security Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia Council Reforms supports visa freedom for all the Western Balkan 7 February - At a meeting with Japanese State states with the European Union. Secretary Koichi Takemasa during the Munich Security Conference, Estonian Foreign Minister First-Ever Trilateral Political Urmas Paet confirmed Estonia’s support for Consultations with Finland and Turkey Japan’s permanent membership in the UN Took Place Security Council when Security Council reform comes into effect. “Estonia supports reforming the 8 February - Trilateral political consultations UN and expanding the Security Council, including between Estonia, Finland and Turkey took adding Japan to the permanent members of the place on Monday, 8 February in Ankara. It was Security Council,” said the Estonian foreign minister. the first time ever the consultations were held “The UN Security Council must go along with together with Finland. “Since Estonia and Finland’s changes—compared to the time when the Security policies towards Turkey are practically identical, we Council was created, the world has developed decided to hold consultations together with Finland significantly,” Paet noted. this time,” said Foreign Ministry Secretary General Paet and Takemasa also talked about Estonia and Marten Kokk. The secretary general said that during Japan’s co-operation in the UN and reciprocally the meeting with his Finnish colleague Pertti Torstila supporting one another’s candidacies in UN organs. and Turkish colleague Feridun Sinirlioglu they Paet talked about Estonia’s candidacy to the UN primarily focused on Turkey’s accession to the Human Rights Council in 2012 and to be a non- European Union. permanent member of the UN Security Council in Foreign Ministry Secretary General Marten Kokk 2020. stated that Estonia and Finland continue to support In talking about economic relations between the Turkey’s desire to join the European Union. “Estonia two countries and co-operation in international is still a strong supporter of Turkey. Although Turkey organisations, another topic was the upcoming visit has made great progress in implementing reforms, by the Estonian prime minister and a business there is still much to be done, and the pace of delegation to Japan. Foreign Minister Paet reported reforms should be accelerated so that Turkey can that Estonian export to Japan has been growing. move forward and open new chapters,” noted Kokk. “During the past year, Estonian export to Japan has Secretary General Kokk said that Turkey’s grown by 14%. The planned visits and the activity of primary challenges are related to building up rule of the Enterprise Estonia economic representative in law to ensure democracy and the functioning of the will certainly help economic contacts between economy, which are essential prerequisites for Estonia and Japan to continue to grow,” said Paet. joining the European Union. Secretary General Kokk Paet made a proposal to consider concluding an confirmed that Estonia is prepared to share its inter-governmental financial information exchange accession experiences with Turkey. Secretary agreement between Estonia and Japan to combat General Kokk also said that the parties involved money laundering and the funding of terrorism. should be actively working on resolving the Cyprus They also talked about plans for future visits problem. “We feel that it is necessary to successfully between Estonia and Japan and Paet extended an conclude the Cyprus dialogue and resolve the invitation to his Japanese colleague to visit Estonia. island’s problems under UN auspices. This is vital for “Continuing political consultations between Estonia the people of Cyprus as well as Turkey and the and Japan is also necessary to further develop our European Union in general,” emphasised Kokk. relations,” Paet noted. During their meeting,