The declaration submitted by five MEPs, including Estonian Socialist Marianne Mikko, says the date when the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was signed should be proclaimed "European Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Crimes of Stalinism and Nazism, in order to preserve the memory of the victims of mass deportations and exterminations, at the same time rooting democracy more firmly and reinforcing peace and stability in our continent."

"That we've got more than 400 signatures together already before the final date shows that our initiative represents the will of a very large part of Europeans," Mikko told BNS in Brussels.

In order for the declaration to step into effect, it had to be signed by more than half of the members of the European Parliament, or by at least 393 MPs, before Sept. 9.

The other initiators of the declaration are Christopher Beazley, member of the European People's Party Group from the UK; Latvian Inese Vaidere from the Union for Europe of the Nations group; Hungarian Socialist Zita Gurmai; and Alexander Alvaro, a German from the Democrat and Liberal Union group.

The authors said that the influence and significance of the Soviet order and occupation on/for citizens of the post-Communist states are little known in Europe. They also referred to the European Parliament's and the Council's having instituted the action "Active European Remembrance," intended to prevent any repetition of the crimes of Nazism and Stalinism.

"Declaring Aug. 23 a day of remembrance for the victims of Stalinism and Naxism alike is directed simultanously to Europe's past and future," Alvaro said in his remarks to BNS.

"The significance that we assign with this declaration to Aug. 23 will give the history of our new member states an equal role in the common history of Europe," he said.

In accordance with the European Parliament's house rules the president of the parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, will proclaim the declaration at the next plenary, which starts on Sept. 22.

The declaration instructs the president to forward the declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the parliaments of the EU member states.

"Now we're waiting for the reaction of the leaders of the member states and parliaments -- how exactly to mark this remembrance day across Europe," Mikko said.

A process to raise awareness of the crimes of totalitarian regimes, including the crimes of Communism, has been launched also by the Council of the European Union.

Russia has on repeated occasions denounced the investigation of crimes of Communism. Most lately the Russian ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, presenting Russia's foreign policy in Brussels on Wednesday, expressed regret at activities to this effect by "certain countries" and warned that such activity is harming the EU's relations with Russia.

Baltic News Service

Aaviksoo and visiting chairman of the EU Military Committee Gen. Henri Bentegeat on Thursday discussed possible developments in the European security and defense policy in connection with the events in Georgia, spokespeople for the Estonian Defense Ministry said.

Aaviksoo underlined the significance of the events in Georgia from the viewpoint of Europe's security and defense policy. He expressed the hope that the EU will be able together with other parties to contribute to a rapid and sensible solution of the conflict.

The Estonian minister and the chairman of the EU Military Committee also spoke about the future of the EU battle groups and their possible deployment.

"A militarily strong and influential Europe is in our interest, and the EU battle groups are a part of that," he said.

Bentegeat was scheduled to meet later on Thursday with the commander of the Estonian defense forces, Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots, and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. His agenda also included visits to the Estonian army training center at Tapa and the center of excellence in cyber defense.

On Friday he will meet with the chairman of the Estonian parliament's foreign affairs committee, Sven Mikser.

The EU battle groups are tactical rapid response units of about 1,500 personnel that must be ready for deployment in crisis areas up to 6,000 kilometers from Brussels within 15 days of a unanimous deployment decision of EU members.

Gen. Bentegeat serves as chairman of the EU Military Committee since November 2006.

The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the highest military body set up within the EU. It is composed of the chiefs of defense of the member states, who are regularly represented by their permanent military representatives. The EUMC provides the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) with advice and recommendations on all military matters within the EU, and heads the EU's military headquarters.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8814, sise@bns.ee

The government is giving 174,000 kroons to help finance the studies of six students from the University of Tbilisi at Tartu University during one semester.

Six students from the University of Tbilisi have already started their studies in Tartu. The additional money provided by the government allows to admit six more students, bringing to 12 the overall number of Georgians studying in Tartu under this arrangement during one semester.

The students are provided with free admission to the university, free accommodation at the campus and a monthly allowance in the amount of up to 3,000 kroons (EUR 196).

Tartu University and the University of Tbilisi signed an agreement on student and teacher exchanges in 2005.

Tallinn University stands to get 97,500 kroons to bring out publications on post-trauma behavior. The university provides students and specialists from Georgia with training in post-trauma behavior so that they can help young people and children who witnessed the calamities of war.

The Georgian Ministry of Education will get 200,000 kroons to help cover expenses related to the University of Gori, which has been destroyed in the war.

A project in advanced training in the management of vocational schools and teaching, under which seven Estonian specialists will travel to Georgia, will get 227,500 kroons, whereas for 301,000 kroons a summer camp will be organized for Georgian children of ages 12-15 at Kloogarand, northwestern Estonia, next summer.

(EUR 1 = EEK 15.65)

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8862, sise@bns.ee

Gen. Bentegeat is scheduled to meet later in the day with the commander of the Estonian defense forces Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots, Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. He will also visit the center of excellence in cyber defense and the army's training center at Tapa.

On Friday he will meet with the chairman of the Estonian parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Sven Mikser.

The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the highest military body set up within the EU. It is composed of the chiefs of defense of the member states, who are regularly represented by their permanent military representatives. The EUMC provides the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) with advice and recommendations on all military matters within the EU.

The permanent chairman of the EUMC is selected by the chiefs of defense of the member states and appointed by the Council.

Bentegeat graduated from the Military Academy of Saint Cyr, France, in 1967 and first served with the Marine Armored Corps. He served from 1968 to 1973 in Germany, Senegal, France and Djibouti. He also served in the Army Public Information Service and was later appointed chief of operations of the 9th Marine Division.

In 1996, he took command of the French forces in the West Indies, and two years later became assistant to the Director for Strategic Affairs of the French Ministry of Defence. After serving as chief of the military staff of the President of the Republic, he became chief of the defense staff in October 2002.

Bentegeat was appointed chairman of the European Union Military Committee in November 2006.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee

The United States help finance defense procurements by friendly nations and international organizations via the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program.

Like in previous years, Estonia acquired mainly communications equipment for the aid.

Latvia received 3.3 million dollars and Lithuania 23.4 million dollars under the same program last year.

The amount received by Estonia in 2005 was approximately 5 million dollars and in 2004 it was roughly 6 million dollars.

In earlier years Estonia has used the money to buy radio stations, night vision equipment, positioning systems, spare parts for vehicles, and communications systems. It has also been used to pay for training and hire teachers.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8814, sise@bns.ee

AFP - Baltic News Service

"In addition to solving the situation in Georgia, we must think further in the European Union how to send a stronger supporting signal also to the countries situated in the neighborhood," Paet was quoted by spokespeople as saying.

The Estonian minister recommended to put relations with Ukraine among the EU's priorities.

Paet, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Petras Vaitiekunas and Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins said during their meeting in the Latvian sea resort Jurmala that the EU must review all its relations with Russia because of the events in Georgia and pay more attention than before to matters of energy security.

"Following the extraordinary [European Union] Council no dialogue will take place between the European Union and Russia regarding the new framework agreement as long as Russia hasn't brought its troops to the positions of August 7," Paet said. He added that neither is it possible in the present situation to continue talks on visa facilitation with Russia.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8849, sise@bns.ee

The aim of ESTCOY-6 is to dominate in its area of responsibilty in the surroundings of Now Zad and demonstrate the presence of international peace enforcement forces. The unit's assignment is to inhibit operations by Taliban insurgents who use the Now Zad area for north-south transit to Sangin Valley and to Musa Qala in the east.

The Estonian defense forces are taking part in the NATO-led ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) operation in Afghanistan since March 2003, including infantry personnel since May 2006.

Some 140 Estonian personnel are deployed in Afghanistan on what is the largest operation abroad for the Estonian military.

Three Estonian servicemen have died and nearly 30 have sustained injuries while on the mission.

ISAF brings together troops from 40 countries.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8862, sise@bns.ee

NATO's operations and activity in Afghanistan were one of the most important topics at the meeting, spokespeople for the Estonian Defense Ministry said.

"Estonia will definitely continue contributing in Afghanistan in accordance with its capabilities," Aaviksoo said.

Also talked about was the need to work more closely with international organizations in order to faster and better solve the crisis in Afghanistan.

Aaviksoo and Ramms spoke about the events related to the conflict between Russia and Georgia and topics of the broader security environment in the light of that conflict.

Both stressed the importance of NATO's basic values, including Article 5, in the alliance's activities. They also spoke about air policing in the alliance's border areas.

The general was scheduled to visit later on Tuesday the NATO Cooperative Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense being developed in Estonia. On Monday he met with the commander of the Estonian defense forces, Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots, and looked at the Amari air base.

The aim of the visit by the commanding officer of the headquarters in charge of NATO's operations in Afghanistan and the Baltic air policing mission is to get familiar with the development plans of the Estonian defense forces in NATO, with the Amari air base and the Cooperative Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense.

JFC Brunssum consists of three component commands: Component Command-Air Ramstein, Component Command-Land Heidelberg, and Component Command-Mar Northwood.

CC-Air is located in Ramstein, Germany, and has over 800 military and civilian personnel from 13 different countries. CC-Land is located at Heidelberg, Germany, and has over 500 military personnel from 13 different nations. CC-Mar is located in Northwood, United Kingdom, and has about 280 personnel.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee

"We should send a very clear political message about our solidarity with Georgia, and say that we are in favor of closer ties with Georgia," Ansip told fellow EU leaders according to remarks published in Estonian.

He said that the EU must demand that Russia abide by the six-point plan. While there is a ceasefire, Russia has not abided by its promises and pulled back its forces to the positions as before Aug. 7, and dismantled the so-called checkpoints. Russian soldiers, who obviously are not peacekeepers, must be replaced with international peacekeepers, said the Estonian prime minister.

Moscow's unilateral decision to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has to be condemned by the EU, Ansip said.

He called on fellow EU leaders to ask the foreign ministers of their governmnets to think how to fill the policy of non-recognition with contents.

The Estonian premier invited the EU to take urgent steps to help Georgia, as lined out in his proposals to the EU presidency last week.

That includes immediately increasing humanitarian and financian aid for Georgia, launching talks on a visa-facilitation accord, and expressing readiness to conclude a "deepened" free trade treaty with Georgia.

Fourth, a donor conference should be held, with the final goal of helping to build up a Georgia that is twice as successful and twice as rich as before the conflict, Ansip said.

Speaking about EU-Russia relations, the prime minister said that he favors continuation of political contacts with Russia. But the relations cannot continue in the same way as they used to.

Russia has not behaved in accordance with European values, Ansip said. That's why Estonia backs the idea of freezing the dialogues that are going on with Russia at this point, including the dialogue on the new framework agreement, visa dialogue and visa facilitation agreement.

Ansip voiced support for the presidency's proposal to review the entire spectrum of Russia-EU relations.

"That work has to be done as quickly as possible," he said.

At the end of his speech the Estonian prime minister invited to step up the EU's presence in the region, including in Ukraine, strengthen the New Neighborhood Policy and develop further the Swedish and Polish initiative as regards an Eastern Partnership.

Baltic News Service

"We will certainly contribute," Ansip said, adding that the exact size and nature of the Estonian contribution depend on how big the EU mission will be.

In their statement at the end of the summit, the EU leaders condemned Russia's "disproportionate reaction" in Georgia, and argued that a military solution to the crisis was not acceptable. They voiced support for Georgia, promised help with reconstruction and agreed to send a "fact-finding mission" immediately -- with the possibility later of "an increased European Union commitment on the ground."

The EU leaders also committed to organizing an international donors conference to drum up aid for Georgia's reconstruction following Russia's invasion last month.

Ansip stressed at the press conference that since Russian peacekeepers have lost all credibility, they must be replaced with international forces.

"It is Estonia's duty to take part in that mission," Ansip said.

The Russian ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, on Monday considered it possible that international police forces would be deployed in the Georgia conflict region.

Baltic News Service

"We say to the European Union citizens in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia: "You are no longer alone! A threat to your country would constitute a threat to the European Union as a whole"," Poettering was quoted by spokespeople as saying.

The invoking by Moscow of peoples' right to self-determination, a right which Russia has been denying the Chechens, will certainly give other former Soviet Republics, such as Ukraine and Moldova, which have sizeable Russian minorities, cause for concern, he said.

Should one European Union member state be faced with a threat to cut off its energy supplies, all the other Union Member States would have a duty to support it, said the president of the European Parliament.

He specifically stressed the necessity for the EU to demonstrate to Russia that it is united, and determined not to accept unilateral changes to the map of Europe brought about by means of violence.

Baltic News Service

Baltic News Service

Estonia previously used to have a defense adviser in Georgia, spokespeople for the Ministry of Defense told BNS on Monday.

Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo said that supporting Georgia has been a long-time priority for the Ministry of Defense. That it was necessary to have a defense attache in Georgia was known already a long time ago, he said.

The minister said he was glad that Estonia will be represented in Georgia by such an experienced and well-educated officer as Lt. Col. Lumi.

Lumi, born in 1971, was trained at the Finnish National Defense University and he holds the degree of master of military sciences. He served as chief of the General Staff's intelligence department starting from 2006.

Estonia currently has 10 defensee attaches, whose appointments cover Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Denmark, Norway, Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, the United States, Canada, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee

At the forum, politicians, experts and businesspeople from the IT sector will speak about threats and challenges arising from cyberspace.

Speakers will include Estonian MP Mart Laar, US member of the team of the NATO Cooperative Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Kenneth Geers, Tim Boerner from the US Secret Service, manager of Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Estonia Hillar Aarelaid, Mart Parve from the look@world foundation, representatives from the Ministry of Education and Research and Ministry of Defense.

The forum will be hosted by Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8814, sise@bns.ee

The sum was allocated from the Foreign Ministry's budget for development and humanitarian aid.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. In order for its development to be a success, intense cooperation is urgently needed in the area of medicine, along with other areas, spokespeople for the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.

"Supporting the central hospital of Helmand province will improve the availability of medical assistance for the residents there," Foreign Minister Urmas Paet was quoted as saying.

The foreign minister added that it will also help to create better conditions for people living in destitution.

A large part of Afghanistan's residents live in total poverty, especially widowed women and children.

Within the framework of the project of the nonprofit organization Mondo, a medical oxygen delivery system will be obtained for the hospital, along with transportable medical oxygen tubing and medical supplies such as an autoclave, gurneys, wheelchairs, aspirators, throat masks, sterilizers, splints, crutches, and an ultrasound machine.

Bost Hospital is the largest and best hospital in Helmand province. It has 34 doctors, and 300 people receive treatment there every day, which is notably more than in previous years.

Estonia supported the paediatric ward of the Helmand central hospital in 2007 with 1.1 million kroons. The money was used to purchase portable oxygen generators and warming beds for underweight and premature infants.

At the beginning of this year, Estonia helped buy diesel for Bost Hospital's electrical generator so that hospital rooms continued to be lit and heated and medical equipment running during the winter months.

An Estonian health care expert has been working in the town of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province Since March 2008.

(EUR 1 = EEK 15.65)

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8814, sise@bns.ee

The aim of the visit by the commanding officer of the headquarters in charge of NATO's operations in Afghanistan and the Baltic air policing mission is to get familiar with the development plans of the Estonian defense forces in NATO, with the Amari air base and the Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense.

On Monday, Gen. Ramms will meet with the commander of the Estonian defense forces Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots and look at the Amari air base.

He will meet with Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo and visit the Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense on Tuesday.

Ramms, general of the Germany Army, took over as commander of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum in January 2007.

JFC Brunssum consists of three component commands: Component Command-Air Ramstein, Component Command-Land Heidelberg, and Component Command-Mar Northwood.

CC-Air is located in Ramstein, Germany, and has over 800 military and civilian personnel from 13 different countries. CC-Land is located at Heidelberg, Germany, and has over 500 military personnel from 13 different nations. CC-Mar is located in Northwood, United Kingdom, and has about 280 personnel.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee

The Estonian position to be laid out by the prime minister in Brussels is that the EU inevitably must revise the whole spectrum of relations with Russia in order to give Moscow the signal that an aggression against some other country cannot remain without consequences. The EU also must be vigorous and united in its reaction.

In Estonia's view it would be inappropriate in the present situation to go on with the dialogue on visa-free travel with Russia.

The EU must weigh the broader impact of the aggression by Russia on its future relations with Russia, including the impact from the Russian argument that it is protecting Russian citizens in Georgian territory. It has to be remembered that in international law there is no provision giving someone the right to protect one's citizens with military force.

Estonia intends to reiterate its sharp condemnation of the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent by Russia, since the decision marks a violation of international norms which further aggravates the situation in Georgia.

Estonia considers it important that the role of the EU in solving frozen conflicts in Georgia would be bigger and more visible. Estonia backs sending an EU observers mission to Georgia as quickly as possible with a mandate allowing it to act in the entire territory of Georgia. In Estonia's view preparations should be made for sending a possible EU peacekeeping mission to Georgia.

Also, international organizations, including humanitarian aid organizations, must get full and unhindered access to all areas devastated by the conflict. The EU must immediately give humanitarian aid in a coordinated manner in all Georgian regions that suffered as a result of the hostilities.

The Estonian government supports signing of a visa facilitation accord between the European Union and Georgia as early as possible.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8815, sise@bns.ee