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Estonian Review: November 14-20, 2005
24.11.2005
TOP NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
TOP NEWS
Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and Germany's Chancellor to be Angela Merkel find common language
Nov 18 - The head of the Estonian government says a meeting with the future chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, showed that they see eye to eye on many things.
Andrus Ansip and Angela Merkel, leader of German Christian Democrats, hold similar views on quite a few questions concerning the financial perspective of the European Union. The financial perspective should be adopted as soon as possible, the premier added, voicing the opinion that changing the structure of the multi-annual spending plan would draw out the process.
Ansip voiced the opinion that during the Merkel-led government's term of office the EU will get a common foreign and security policy. In his words, this means that the bloc will speak with one voice also where Russia is concerned.
According to Ansip, it is worth noting that Angela Merkel found time to meet with the Estonia Prime Minister, when only a few hours remained before the signing of the future German coalition agreement. "Certainly this is a good sign that Estonia and the other Baltic States are recognized by Germany and that it would generally highten awareness of the EU's smaller members," said Ansip.
In the meeting, the premier also raised the question of a Russia-German natural gas pipeline to be laid on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. He expressed the opinion that Berlin should have consulted with the countries directly affected by the plan. In his words, the future chancellor agreed with this view.
EU Commissioner has raised issue of Estonian-Russian border treaties
Nov 15 - Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU Commissioner responsible for external relations and neighbourhood policy, said the Commission had repeatedly raised the issue of the Estonian-Russian border treaty at meetings with Russian representatives during the past month and expressed its clear wish for ratification of the border treaties by both countries.
The commissioner said this in answer to an October inquiry by leaders of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee Elmar Brok and Toomas Hendrik Ilves. In her response, Ferrero-Waldner underlined that the EU considered the problem of the Estonian-Russian and Latvian-Russian border treaties as something affecting the regional integrity of the entire Union, as the external border of Estonia and Latvia is simultaneously the external border of the European Union.
The commissioner said that the EU and Russia agreed at their summit on 10 May that signing and ratification of the border treaties would be treated as a priority in the further development of EU-Russian relations.
Ferrero-Waldner wrote that the same issue was discussed at a high-level meeting between the European Union and Russia on 13 October, when the European Union presented its official view that settlement of the border issues is the precondition for stable relations between the European Union and Russia.
The foreign affairs commissioner wrote to Brok and Ilves that she had also raised the issue of the border treaties at her meeting with the Russian presidential adviser Sergei Yastrzembsky on 9 November, underlining the need for a flexible and pragmatic solution in the border treaties' issue.
Estonia in favour of clear military duties in EU
Nov 14 - In a meeting at the level of defence forces commanders in Brussels, the EU military committee discussed the future development of military capabilities of the bloc. It is planned for the European Defence Agency (EDA) to draw up a long term vision for its co-ordinated activity and to participate in crisis regulation operations.
"Estonia is in favour of clear duties and sharing of responsibility between EU member countries and structures in accordance with the mechanism of the development of capabilities," Vice Adm. Tarmo Kõuts said after attending the meeting.
He said it is important to have military co-operation and co-ordination between NATO and the EU with the aim of preventing the cancelling-out effect, and to achieve congruent objectives.
Estonia continues to take part in developing the rapid reaction capabilities of the EU, with a joint Nordic battle group to be set up in co-operation with Sweden, Finland and Norway.
Operative commander of EUFOR Gen. John Reith gave an overview of the EU peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina where Estonian staff officers now serve at EUFOR headquarters.
At the end of the year Estonia will step up its participation in the operation, with a platoon made up of Estonian soldiers to start service together with an Austrian unit in Tuzla.
FOREIGN NEWS
Paet: The adoption of the budget would show the European Union's ability to act as a whole
Nov 15 - On his visit to Rome, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met with Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini and Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies' Foreign Affairs Committee, Gustavo Selva.
In the meeting with Gianfranco Fini, topics concerning the European Union were under discussion, primarily the financial perspective, the future of Europe and regional initiatives, such as the Northern Dimension and the Barcelona Process. Regarding the financial perspective, the parties familiarized each other with their positions and concurred in the opinion that the EU budget should be adopted at the European Council scheduled for December. "That would show that the European Union is able to act as a whole," Foreign Minister Paet noted.
Speaking about the future of Europe and the Constitutional Treaty, the Foreign Ministers emphasized that in its present state, members of the bloc should focus on how to achieve the best results under the current set of agreements. According to the words of Italian Foreign Minister Fini, the rift having developed due to setbacks in the ratification process of the Constitutional Treaty should be filled-in with the objective that co-operation between members states would be successful. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet added that disappointment towards the European Union must be avoided. "I hope the Riigikogu will discuss in depth all the chapters and aspects of the Constitutional Treaty agreement," Paet said.
The parties also discussed other problems facing Europe such as illegal migration. As countries with external borders Estonia and Italy share the viewpoint that the strengthening of the EU's external border is very important. "Europe's eastern, as well as its southern border must be strengthened and certainly, the money allotted towards tightening up security along Europe's external borders should not be dimished," said Paet.
Ideas were exchanged concerning the EU's regional initiatives such as the Barcelona Process and the Northern Dimension; EU-Russia relations were also discussed, as was the issue concerned with the termination of the transition process for the free movement of workers, an issue, which the Estonian side itself had raised.
When meeting with Italian Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee, Gustavo Selva, the problems facing the European Union were also of focus.
The parties underlined that the EU must not be merely a free trade area, but also an international community of nations, appreciating common values. Foreign Minister Paet confirmed that Estonia distinctly feels the concerns facing the EU and seeks to contribute to finding solutions.
In the evening Foreign Minister Paet met with Lucciano Vecchi, foreign secretary of Italy's largest opposition party.
Estonian president appointed new Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Nov 15 - Estonian President Arnold Rüütel appointed Margus Laidre as Ambassador to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Laidre was born on 18 September 1959 and is a general history candidate graduate from Tartu University. In 2000 he became Doctor of History.
Laidre began his service at the Foreign Ministry in 1991, as head of the Estonian Information Office in Stockholm.
From 1991-2000, Laidre was Ambassador to Sweden, from 1996-2000 Ambassador to Germany and from 1997-2000 to the Holy See. Since 2000 Laidre has been director general of the Foreign Ministry's 3rd political department dealing with Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australia and Oceania.
Estonian law enforcement leaders discussed co-operation in USA
Nov 18 - Leaders of the Estonian law enforcement structures headed by Justice Minister Rein Lang and Interior Minister Kalle Laanet met with top officials in the United States to promote co-operation in law enforcement.
Jaanus Rahumägi, a member of the delegation, sitting on the parliamentary legal committee talked about ways to develop closer co-operation between Estonian law enforcement structures and the FBI with FBI chief Robert Meuller.
"The primary goal was to explore the possibility of launching various training programmes with US assistance, to help combat cyber-crime," Rahumägi said.
In his words, the visit helped Estonian officials obtain information on modern technologies used in the fight against terrorism. Another aim of the trip was to learn about the steps the United States has taken after 9/11 to ensure that people's constitutional rights and freedoms are observed and at the same time secure smooth operation of special services.
Rahumägi said the Estonian delegation had meetings with senior officials at the US Department of Justice, State Department and Congress, as well as with leaders of the National Security Council advising the president.
ECONOMIC NEWS
200 Million EUR financing from EU structural funds endorsed for Estonia so far
Nov 18 - Estonia stands to get approximately 5.8 billion kroons from EU structural funds during the period from 2004-2006, of which, at present financing for various projects in the amount of 3.2 billion kroons (EUR 200 mln) has been approved.
Representatives from the Estonian Finance Ministry visited the Western island of Saaremaa to speak with recipients of EU funds about their experience and hear proposals concerning the next financing period.
Similar meetings have taken place in all of Estonia's counties during the fall.
Kadri Uustal, head of the external finance department at the Finance Ministry, said the main purpose of the trips was to get feedback from the recipients of the funding.
"It's important to learn from the mistakes that have been made and from the positive experience, in order to make the system of distribution of the support even faster and better. It's namely the parties carrying out projects and applicants for funding who can offer us the best advice in this respect," Uustal said.
In the future more structural fund money is to be spent on the renovation of local roads, creation of Internet availability in rural areas and development of public transport.
Currency Rates in Kroons
November 20, 2005
British pound - GBP - 22.934
Canadian dollar - CAD - 11.269
Swiss franc - CHF - 10.116
Danish krone - DKK - 2.098
Japanese yen - JPY - 0.112
Latvian lat - LVL - 22.482
Lithuanian lit - LTL - 4.532
Norwegian krone - NOK - 1.989
Russian rouble - RUB - 0.464
Swedish krona - SEK - 1.628
US dollar - USD - 13.400
Euro - EUR - 15.647
CULTURAL NEWS
Japanese Government made a donation to the new Estonian Museum of Art KUMU
Nov 18 - Japanese Ambassador to Estonia, Shigeo Kondo and Foreign Minister Urmas Paet signed an agreement, where the Japanese Government aims at providing cultural support in the funding of a state of the art audio guide system, conferencing technology and also the technical equipment necessary to set up a laboratory for the conservation of paintings. The financial support will amount to 4 million Estonian kroons.
EESTI RINGVAADE is compiled from local news services, including BNS, and is issued by the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Eesti Ringvaade is also available through the Internet at http://www.vm.ee
To subscribe please contact: vmpress@vm.ee
 
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