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Estonian Review: September 26 - October 2, 2005 
05.10.2005
TOP NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
TOP NEWS
Estonia prepared to participate in Border Mission on Moldovan-Ukrainian border
Sept 29 - President of the Republic of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, accompanied by Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan were in Estonia on an official visit.
Meetings with President Arnold Rüütel, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Deputy Chairman of the Riigikogu Toomas Varek took place. The delegation of Moldova visited the Estonian Academy of Sciences, the Tallinn City Museum and the Tallinn Town Hall, where Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kaia Jäppinen welcomed the guests. There was also a meeting with the Moldovan community in Estonia.
On Thursday, during Foreign Minister Urmas Paet's meeting with Moldova's Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan, several issues were discussed including: the relationship between the two countries, Estonia's development co-operation plans directed at Moldova, the role of the European Union in Moldova as well as issues related to the conflict in Transinistria.
At the outset of the meeting the foreign ministers acknowledged that relations between the two countries are good and have been active, and more recently they have become notably enlivened.
Speaking about Estonia's plans in the field of development co-operation directed towards Moldova, Foreign Minister Paet confirmed that Estonia is continuously prepared to share its experience of reform according to Moldova's needs and for next year a concrete action plan is being drafted, taking into consideration the wishes and ideas forwarded by Moldova to Estonia.
The Moldovan Foreign Minister gave the Estonian side an overview of the domestic policy situation in Moldova and noted that the Mission of the European Commission in Kishinev will officially open this week in the course of the visit of the European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
"We are very happy that the representation of the Commission will open on location," Foreign Minister, Paet underlined. "This is sure to help increase the European Union's role in Moldova and will help promote Moldova's EU aspirations," he added.
Touching upon issues connected to Transnistria in more detail, Foreign Minister, Stratan noted that the planned European Union border-monitoring mission in the Transnistrian section of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border is sure to contribute to the settlement of problems there.
Foreign Minister, Paet voiced hope that the mission will begin at the scheduled time - within this year. "Estonia is going to set up its candidates for the mission and actively participate in the work," Paet emphasized.
At the meeting, the foreign ministers agreed that in the near future the possibility for the facilitation of the visa regime between the two countries is going to be taken into consideration.
In 2000, 2001 and 2002 Estonia supported the OSCE fund to withdraw Russian troops from Moldova. Since 2003 three projects in the area of information technology, European integration and the co-operation of civil associations have been implemented.
This year a young Moldovan diplomat has been granted a scholarship to study" International Relations and European Integration" in the Estonian School of Diplomacy for the 2005/2006 academic year; also the Centre for Public Service Training and Development has launched a 10-month project "Assistance to the Ministry of Justice and the Parliament in strengthening their administrative capacity necessary to better harmonize Moldovan legislation with that of the EU legislation", which is a follow-up to the trilateral (Estonia-Great Britain-Moldova) co-operation project conducted in 2004-2005 on the topic of the European integration.
Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister visits Estonia
Sept 28 - Foreign Minister, Urmas Paet met with Lourdes Aranda, Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister staying in Estonia at a working visit. The possibilities for developing relations between the two countries and the situation in Latin America were under discussion.
At the outset of the meeting the parties expressed satisfaction, that since last year visa-free travel has been in force between Estonia and Mexico, thanks to which the number of Mexican tourists visiting Estonia has increased, as well as the number of Estonians heading for Mexico to get acquainted with the country.
Speaking of bilateral contacts in more depth the ministers acknowledged that in the good relationship between Estonia and Mexico there is the most space for development in the field of trade and investments. Foreign minister, Paet noted that Estonia is interested in hosting Mexican business delegations. "Mexico, as well as Estonia are countries with rapidly developing economies and both the parties are sure to be interested in the expansion of trade," he said. Deputy Foreign Minister, Lourdes confirmed that primarily the exchange of information should be enhanced in this field and contacts between entrepreneurs should be encouraged to find out what Mexico could offer Estonia in the framework of economic co-operation.
In the course of the visit the parties also signed a Co-operation Agreement in the Field of Education and Culture between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the United Mexican States. The ministers concurred on the opinion that Estonia and Mexico have a lot to offer each other in the cultural sphere and thanks to the agreement recently signed a number of new possibilities are sure to open up.
Deputy Foreign Minister, Aranda gave the Estonian side an overview of the Mexican domestic processes and of the situation in Latin America as a whole.
In 1997 Mexico concluded an agreement with the European Union on Economic Partnership, Political Co-ordination and Co-operation, which Estonia is also an acceding member to. As of 12 February 2002 Estonia has permanent observer status at the Organization of American States.
Baltic Countries want to accede to the Schengen Treaty in 2007
Sept 28 - At the meeting of the Baltic Prime Ministers on Wednesday in Kuresaare, the Prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania called on the three countries to cooperate more in matters related to the Schengen Treaty. "We all have the common desire to join the Schengen visa space in fall 2007," Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip was quoted as saying.
"Timely accession to the Schengen zone is in the interests of Baltic residents and it will allow the countries to fully enjoy one of the main freedoms of citizens of the EU member states -- the free movement," he said.
The prime ministers emphasized the need to secure full accession of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to the Schengen Treaty at the earliest time possible already in the next round of enlargement. They said that from the point of setting this goal, they had considered it important for the countries to act as a team.
FOREIGN NEWS
Estonian Ambassador to Bosnia Herzegovina presented his credentials
On Tuesday, 27 September Estonian Ambassador to Bosnia Herzegovina Rein Oidekivi presented his credentials to Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia Herzegovina Ivo Miro Jovic.
In the address delivered at the ceremony Ambassador Rein Oidekivi emphasized the need to enhance relations between the two countries, acknowledging that there are a great many potential possibilities in co-operation between these two small European countries. The Chairman of the Presidency highly appreciated Bosnia and Herzegovina's opportunity to learn from Estonia's experience in reforming the economy and helping in the European integration process.
Ambassador Oidekivi also met with Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic, who acquainted the Estonian side in more detail with reforms implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the progress in defense reform.
Diplomatic relations between Estonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were established on 2 February 1993. The Estonian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina resides in Tallinn.
Rein Oidekivi was born on 7 March 1965 in Muhumaa. In 1990 he graduated from the philological faculty of the University of Tartu. Mr Oidekivi has been engaged in diplomatic work since 1992, when he started work at the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Within the period from 1995 to 1998 Mr Oidekivi worked as chargé d'affaires a.i. at the Estonian Embassy in Kiev. Following that, until the appointment as Ambassador to Lithuania in 2000 he was the director of a bureau in the Political Department of theMinistry of Foreign Affairs. As from 2005 Rein Oidekivi is Director General of the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Rein Oidekivi is married and father of two children.
DEFENCE NEWS
US Fighters Take over Patrol of Baltic Air Space
Sept 28 - Three F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters from the US Air Force landed at Lithuania's Air Force Aviation Base in Zokniai on Wednesday. That is the vanguard of the US contingent that is sanctioned by NATO for a three month long air policing mission in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Spokesmen for the US embassy in Vilnius Anthony Pahigian said that two more fighters of the same type were due to arrive on Oct. 1.
The Americans officially took over the mission from the German Air Force contingent that had been guarding Baltic air space for the last three months. Some 100 servicemen of the US Air Force are serving on the mission in Zokniai.
NATO Generals discuss Estonia's participation in missions
Sept 30 - Commander of the Estonian defence forces Vice Admiral Tarmo Kõuts discussed Estonia's participation in NATO peacekeeping operations with NATO generals visiting Tallinn for the general assembly of Atlantic Treaty associations.
At the meeting, Lt. Gen. John McColl, commander of the British regional army in Afghanistan, underlined the importance of the Estonian contribution to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
Officers of the defence forces headquarters gave an overview of the Estonian contribution to operations also to Lt. Gen. Colby M. Broadwater, chief of staff of the US forces in Europe. The general was particularly interested in the Estonian contribution to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
Broadwater said that the Estonian contribution to ISAF is extremely necessary. He added that plans for the Estonian defence forces to participate in operations are realistic and well thought out.
Currently there are 23 members of the Estonian defence forces serving in the NATO peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan. There are two Estonian senior staff officers serving at the ISAF headquarters in Kabul, and a team of three serving at the Kabul international airport. Two officers serve in a reconstruction team in the province of Mazar-e-Sharif, as do a nine-member mine clearance team, and a six-member group of military observers.
Retired US General, Wesley Clark visited Estonia
Sept 30 - Ex-NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe 1997/2000, and now retired US general Wesley Clark, visited Tallinn in connection with the general assembly of Atlantic Treaty associations. Later he met with Estonian President Arnold Rüütel and ex-President Lennart Meri.
The president's office reported that Rüütel and Clark discussed NATO's role in guaranteeing stability in the world and Estonia's contribution to that process.
According to Lennart Meri's office, Clark highly valued Estonia's success in the construction of a democratic state and considered it of utmost importance that Estonia share its experience with those East-European and Trans Caucasian nations who have launched on democratisation of their countries. Clark expressed the hope that regional security cooperation would start showing signs of strengthening. He mentioned the Baltic Defence College in Tartu as a splendid example of cooperation, the effect of which had recently spread farther than the borders of the three Baltic countries.
The retired US general said that he could understand Estonians' concern because of the activity of Russia close to the Estonian borders, bearing in mind a recent air incident in Lithuania and an earlier mock air assault directed at Estonia.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Foreign trade deficit contracts to 128 million Euros in July
Sept 26 - The Estonian Statistical Office said shortfall of the Estonian foreign trade balance in July was two billion kroons (EUR 128 mln), 13 percent lower than in May and June when the shortfall was 2.3 billion kroons.
The country's foreign trade turnover in July totalled 17.2 billion kroons, 6 percent lower than in June.
Reduction in the foreign trade turnover in the summer months has been characteristic also of previous years, the Statistical Office said.
Export accounted for 7.6 billion kroons or 44 percent of the foreign trade turnover and import for 9.6 billion kroons, 56 percent.
Export of goods declined by 5 percent against July, mainly due to a fall in the export of mineral products, textiles and various manufactured goods.
In the same period the export of machines and installations increased by 198 million kroons.
In July, export to EU countries accounted for 79 percent and to countries of the CIS 9 percent of total exports. The biggest export partner was Finland, the target country of 29 percent of the exports.
Import declined by 7 percent compared to June.
In July import from EU countries accounted for 78 percent and from CIS countries 9 percent of the total import of goods. The biggest import partner was Finland, which accounted for 19 percent of the imports.
Currency Rates in Kroons
October 2, 2005
British pound - GBP - 22.884
Canadian dollar - CAD - 11.143
Swiss franc - CHF - 10.058
Danish krone - DKK - 2.097
Japanese yen - JPY - 0.115
Latvian lat - LVL - 22.477
Lithuanian lit - LTL - 4.532
Norwegian krone - NOK - 1.988
Russian rouble - RUB - 0.456
Swedish krona - SEK - 1.681
US dollar - USD - 13.014
Euro - EUR - 15.647
CULTURAL NEWS
Presentation Ceremony for the New Art Museum KUMU
Sept 30 - An official presentation ceremony took place for KUMU - the new building of the Estonian Art Museum.
When completed, KUMU will be one of the largest museums in the Baltic-Nordic region. The building has 7 levels, including several technical levels with exhibition halls covering an area of 5000 m² and collection repositories covering 1700 m². It exhibits among the best hi-tech facilities of European museums. KUMU also contains a lecture hall offering diverse facilities and an educational centre for young visitors and lovers of art. Finnish architect Pekka Vapaavouri designed the building.
The new museum plot, covering an area totalling 23 900 m² is located on the limestone bank of Lasnamägi next to the Kadriorg Park.Visitors are welcome to visit the museum in the beginning of February 2006 when the Museum officially opens its doors.
vmpress@vm.ee
 
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