Estonian president: missile shield should cover all NATO member countries

18.03.2008

Ilves and Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who made a one-day working visit to Estonia, adopted a joint declaration appealing to the governments of European countries to discuss the opportunituy of setting up an international committee for the investigation of crimes against humanity committed under Communism and violation of human rights, the president's office reported.

During the meeting of the two heads of state at Ilves' Arma Farm bilateral relations, the future of Europe, NATO enlargement, EU neighborhood policy, energy security, developments in Kosovo, international operations and relations with Russia were discussed.

Ilves said that the very good relations between Estonia and Poland were characterized by mutual understanding and trust. "The challenge of our two countries -- Estonia and Poland -- lies in how such understanding and trust could be created between as many countries and international organizations as possible, which would eventually mean a more peaceful Europe and a more stable world."

Ilves underlined the importance of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty for better functioning of the European Union, saying that non-ratification of the treaty would be a setback to the development of the union.

The presidents expressed support to the continuation of NATO's open-doors policy.

"Presuming that the candidate countries, Croatia, Macedonia and Albania, continue the necessary reforms, we are in favor of giving invitations for accession to all the three countries at the forthcoming NATO summit," Ilves said. "Neither should our enthusiasm wane in suppporting Georgia's and Ukraine's further Euroatlantic integration, whereas third countries cannot have any, not even indirect right of veto over decisions of the alliance."

Speaking about EU support to Ukraine, Georgia and Ukraine, the Estonian and Polish presidents stated that widening of the welfare zone in countries thinking and acting in similar ways was useful to all the parties.

"We have to encourage countries that have taken the road of democracy and economic reforms to be consistent and confident in continuing in their endeavors, which means, apart from assistance and consultancy programs, also an open doors policy of the European Union with a view into the future," Ilves said.

Ilves underlined that Estonia supported development of the collective missile defense system within NATO that would be connected with principles proceeding from Article 5.

"Estonia expects from NATO's Bucharest summit a clear decision, which would gear in the alliance the drafting of political principles of missile defense, consultation mechanisms and the co-called burden-sharing principles," Ilves said. He also found that it was important that solutions should be found for the protection of those European NATO alllies not covered by the United States' national system.

"Thus our aim should be a united, integrated system protecting the whole NATO territory," the Estonian head of state said.

The presidents expressed the hope that the situation in Kosovo would become peaceful and laid importance on coordinated and resolute efforts by NATO and the European Union. Speaking about operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the two heads of states regarded it as important that NATO pass a new Afghanistan strategy and that the European Union and the United Nations should be increase their contributions in order to help that country get on its feet.

Speaking about energy security, Ilves and Kaczynski underlined that the European Union must speak in one voice about those issues. Ilves found it necessary that it should become obligatory to inform the European Commission and other member countries of security and energy supply security projects pertaining to the whole community. "The situation where member countries learn about the signing of agreements via the media is not reasonable," he added.

Speaking about Lithuania's Ignalina nuclear power plant, Ilves said that it was necessary to achieve clarity concrening the further progress and partners of the projects. "We find it necessary to sign at short notice a shareholders' agreement between Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish energy companies and establishment of a company of the project," he said.

The most important decisions in connection with the new Ignalina nuclear power plant, such as the choice of reactors, will have to be made on the basis of the partners' consensus, Ilves said.

Ilves said that the European Union's energy relations with Russia needed a firm contractual basis. "The new framework agreement between the European Union and Russia must reflect principles of the energy charter, establishing equality, transparency and non-discrimination. The new, legally binding framework agreement would create a clearer and wider legal basis than at present for the communication of our community with Russia."

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