Estonian govt okays extension of overseas missions

18.10.2007

TALLINN, Oct 18, BNS - The government approved today five draft resolutions on extending Estonian troops' participation in overseas military missions.

The government gave the green light to Estonian contingents' continued participation in international missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, as well as Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. The government also backed Estonian troops' participation in the European Union's Nordic Battle Group.

Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo said Estonia participates only in peace and security enforcement missions supported by the UN Security Council and the government of the receiving country, the governmental press service reports.

The mission in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq is to be extended from January 2008 till the end of the year provided the UN Security Council passes a respective resolution.

The mission contingent is capped at 40 troops and budgeted at 37.6 million kroons (EUR 2.4 mln).

The deployment of up to 150 military with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan is also to be extended till the end of 2008.

According to an explanatory letter, the actual size of the Estonian contingent will not change from the present.

Estonia currently has 127 troops in Afghanistan, most of whom are serving in the south of the country, mainly in Helmand province and Kandahar.

The armed forces' operations in Afghanistan are going to swallow approximately 114 million kroons next year.

The government also decided to extend Estonian troops' participation in the EU-led peace enforcement mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from this Dec. 9 till the end of next year. According to the draft resolution, the number of mission participants will be cut to a maximum of five.

The 2008 budget of the mission is about 2.9 million kroons.

A fourth bill approved by the government proposes to extend the stay of Estonian troops in Kosovo by 12 months from January 2008. It caps the contingent at 40 and provides financing of 29.6 million kroons for the mission next year.

The government also approved the participation of up to 55 troops in the EU's Nordic Battle Group if necessary, for which 8.7 million kroons has been set apart in the 2008 budget.