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Estonian Review: August 8-14, 2005
17.08.2005
TOP NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
SPORTS NEWS
TOP NEWS
Finland and Estonia cooperate to launch diplomatic mission to India
Aug 10 - Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja signed an agreement, concerning the launch of a joint diplomatic mission in New Delhi, India. Estonia has proposed having a representation on the premises of the Finnish Embassy in New Delhi. The Foreign Ministry of India has accepted this arrangement, starting on 1 September 2005. So far, Estonia has had a Consulate General in New Delhi, which will continue its operation, for the time being. Estonia will post a consular officer to the premises of the Finnish Embassy. The Estonian consular officer will handle consular affairs concerning Estonia. Otherwise there will be no changes in the operations and services of the Finnish Embassy.
It is important for Estonia to expand its network of foreign missions in different parts of the world. Finland is positively inclined towards increased mission cooperation with Estonia in the diplomatic posts where there are suitable conditions and the necessary prerequisites for cooperation. Reciprocally, Estonia is prepared to offer Finland cooperation in posts where Estonia has a diplomatic mission, but Finland doesn't. Through cooperation, Finland and Estonia are seeking to save resources and achieve the appropriate synergy. The cooperation between Estonia and Finland follows the similar principles as cooperation between the Nordic Countries. Among the Nordic Countries, Finland has cooperated in diplomatic missions particularly with Sweden.
Tallinn, Intel planning Internet coverage of city
Aug 08 - The whole of Tallinn may become a wireless Internet reception area if the city government in cooperation with Intel decides to turn the city into a new technology testing ground.
Deputy Mayor, Toivo Promm met last week with Jeff Clark, Intel Regional Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, who spoke about earlier Intel projects carried out with the assistance of the new WiMax wireless Internet technology.
WiMax is intended for the transfer of wireless Internet over kilometers, but it will still be available to the user through a traditional Wifi or wired broadband connection, which means that no new installations are required for the time being. Intel has succcessfully tested the scheme in Dubai, Monaco and Skelleftea, Sweden.
Toivo Promm said Clark's words had impressed him, adding that Tallinn would bring in specialists to work out a project to transform itself into the most modern city in the region in terms of information technology. Promm said the plan could be partly launched as early as next year. Intel is ready to support the project if Tallinn becomes a testing ground for the new technology, because WiMax operates in very few world cities and every functioning city would serve as an example to others.
Estonian citizens' support for EU stable at 64 percent in July
Aug 11 - A survey carried out by TNS Emor in July through the beginning of August showed sixty-four percent of the voting-age Estonian population as being in favor of the country's membership of the European Union.
The change from June (66 percent) is smaller than the margin of error, the EU information service said. Seventy-two percent of all residents of Estonia aged from 15-74 had heard of the European Constitution in the latest survey, up from 70 percent in June.
Television as a primary source of information on the EU Constitution still ranks first (being a source of information for (79 percent) of respondents, followed by newspapers (45 percent) and radio (43 percent) respectively. 41 percent of the respondents surveyed view the constitutional treaty as advantageous to Estonia, compared to 42 percent back in June.
Emor interviewed 1,005 residents aged 15-74 from June 29 to July 6 and from July 27 to August 3. Of the total number of respondents, 735 were citizens of voting age.
FOREIGN NEWS
Russian Government decides not to sign border treaty with Estonia
Aug 13 - The Russian Government has agreed with the Foreign Ministry's proposal that a border treaty with Estonia should not be signed in its present form.
The Government in coordination with its federal agencies, has decided, "to approve the Russian Foreign Ministry's proposal, notifying Estonia on Russia's intention not to be a party to the treaty signed in Moscow on May 18, 2005 concerning the Russian-Estonian state border and the delimitation of maritime territories in the Gulf of Narva and the Gulf of Finland.
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that the decision made by the Russian Government will not change any of the Estonian Government's decisions.
"Estonia has signed the border treaties and ratified them and we are waiting for Russia to ratify them," said Urmas Paet.
The Foreign Minister remarked that there is no sense in forecasting what would become of the Estonian-Russian border treaty. "The goodwill of the Russian side is required for any progress to be made," he said. Paet underlined that refusal of the Russian side would not create any problems for Estonia's accession to the Schengen Treaty.
"The European Union supports Estonia's view and expects Russia to sign the ratified treaties. Foreign Ministers of the EU, also confirmed this at their last meeting," he said.
Estonian Foreign Minister, Urmas Paet and his Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov signed the border treaties on May 18 in Moscow. The Estonian parliament ratified the treaties on June 20 and President Arnold Rüütel promulgated the ratification on June 22.
Russia claims that the preamble added to the ratification act by the Estonian parliament allows Estonia to make territorial claims against Russia in the future. The Estonian side refutes such allegations.
Helicopter Crash near the Island of Naissaar
Aug 10 - A helicopter crashed near the island Naissaar, 5 km off the shore on Wednesday before 13.00. The Copterline helicopter Sikorsky S-76C+ was on its way from Tallinn to Helsinki.
The flight control station lost contact with the helicopter crew at 12.43, three minutes after the departure from Tallinn.
There were twelve passengers (6 Finnish, 4 Estonian and 2 U.S. citizens) and two Finnish crew members on the flight.
The helicopter rescue operations that began on the 10th of August continued on the 13th of August. Thirteen of the crash victims have been brought to the surface by Estonian and Finnish divers as well as the helicopter itself. One body is still missing.
A special commission has been formed at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to investigate the accident. The State Prosecutor's Office has initiated the necessary criminal proceedings.
DEFENCE NEWS
Next Estonian platoon for Iraq mission to start training, the training of two more units also in the works
Aug 09 - To be prepared for a decision by lawmakers to extend the Estonian mission to Iraq, a light infantry platoon will start its pre-mission training on Monday. The platoon will serve in Iraq for the next six-month period. "It is the defence forces' duty to be ready. The preparation of operation units is essential and it's a time-consuming process," the acting chief of the General Staff's press department, Georgi Kokoshinski said. "If the Parliament decides to extend the (troops') stay in Iraq, then we'll have a unit prepared for carrying out that decision," he said.
ESTPLA-11, the Estonian unit currently in Iraq, will finish performing its duties this December. The unit starting its pre-mission training is made up of 35 personnel. The mission unit would be 32 strong, with the three extra soldiers to remain in Estonia on reserve. The commander of ESTPLA-12 is Ltn. Margus Kuul.
In addition to the ESTPLA-12 platoon trained for service in Iraq, an Estonian military police unit and a mission unit of the Kaitseliit (Defence League) volunteer corps will start training on Monday. Both units are to be sent on a mission to the Balkans.
Twenty-five military personnel will receive training as part of preparation for ESTPATROL-13 and 32 Kaitseliit members in preparation for ESTGUARD-1. ESTGUARD-1 will be deployed with the European Union-led Althea mission in December. Serving as part of an Austrian company, the 29 Estonian volunteer personnel will guard the Tuzla airport and the Camp Eagle base of multinational mission units there.
Estonia replacing its representative at CENTCOM
Aug 10 - According to military spokesmen, Capt. Kuido Pettai will replace 1st Ltn. Annes Vainamae as the Estonian liaison officer at the US Central Commands (CENTCOM) in mid-August.
President Arnold Rüütel has confirmed the temporary military rank of Major to Pettai for the period of his assignment to CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, lasting six months. CENTCOM is in charge of the operation, "Iraqi Freedom".
DOMESTIC NEWS
New law to give asylum seekers more rights in Estonia
Aug 09 - Estonia will have to offer wider protection and more benefits to asylum seekers if the Parliament adopts a bill setting out new rules for the treatment of people fleeing war or persecution in their homeland.
The bill on providing international protection to foreigners that is based on European Union directives secures the same social rights for asylum seekers that are enjoyed by permanent residents of Estonia. An asylum seeker, defined as a person under temporary protection, is entitled under the bill to state benefits, family benefits, labour market services and unemployment benefits.
The current law, adopted in 1997 envisages the same benefits only for people who have obtained the status of refugee. Of the one hundred or so people who have sought asylum in Estonia over the past eight years, only two individuals from Afghanistan and two from Algeria have been granted a refugee status.
"The planned changes will have social consequences on the basis of the European Union law, asylum seekers will be granted access to the Estonian labour market once they have received a residence permit," authors of the bill said.
The law that is to take effect on July 1, 2006 will require extra money to be implemented, yet officials are unable to offer any definite forecasts as it is impossible to predict the number of refugees arriving in Estonia in the future.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Strong performance of the Estonian state budget revenue enables coverage of Health Insurance Fund shortfall
Aug 12 - Estonia will use the extra revenues that have been flowing into the state budget this year to cover the shortfall of the Health Insurance Fund and channel additional funds into the pension reserve.
Finance Minister Aivar Sõerd said over performance in revenue generation allows us to make up this year's 142 million kroon (EUR 9.07 mln) deficit in the Health Insurance Fund and channel extra resources into the fund's reserves.
"This will also enable us to replenish the pension insurance system's reserve, which was depleted by the July 1 rise in pensions as well as place extra funds in the pension reserve," he said.
More funds need to be allotted to cover a rise in the membership fee and other commitments to the European Union's general budget caused by the larger than expected revenues.
Estonia's current account gap widens in June
Aug 12 - By a flash estimate from the Bank of Estonia, the current account deficit in June was 1.5 billion kroons, (EUR 95.85 mln), which puts the preliminary figure of the second quarter shortfall at 4.4 billion kroons.
According to the central bank, the current account deficit for the second quarter makes up 11 percent of the anticipated gross domestic product. In June 2004, the current account gap was 1.33 billion kroons.
The foreign trade account shortfall was estimated at 1.7 billion kroons in June, resulting in a deficit of 5.6 billion kroons in the second quarter. The quarterly deficit formed two-thirds of the gap in the same period last year. The surplus of the services account decreased in June to 1.2 billion kroons.
Net outflow of income was one billion kroons and the transfers account was barely in surplus. The financial account surplus without reserves formed 1.4 billion kroons in June. Net inflow of foreign direct investment was negative in the sum of 0.3 billion kroons due to large outflow of investments.
Currency Rates in Kroons
August 14, 2005
British pound - GBP - 22.794
Canadian dollar - CAD - 10.464
Swiss franc - CHF - 10.068
Danish krone - DKK - 2.097
Japanese yen - JPY - 0.115
Latvian lat - LVL - 22.475
Lithuanian lit - LTL - 4.531
Norwegian krone - NOK - 1.983
Russian rouble - RUB - 0.443
Swedish krona - SEK - 1.682
US dollar - USD - 12.550
Euro - EUR - 15.646
CULTURAL NEWS
International Dance Festival to begin Tuesday in Tallinn
Aug 11 - From the 16 -31 of August, the 6th international modern dance festival "August Dance Festival" will take place in Tallinn.
During the course of 10 days dancers from Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, France, Germany, Norway, Great Britain and Estonia will perform.
This year's festival will be the largest ever August Dance Festival. Among the many performers, renowned dancers like Xavier Le Roy, Jo Stromgren, Emmanuelle Huynh and Rasmus Ölme will perform.
SPORTS NEWS
Estonia wins a Gold and Silver at Helsinki Athletics World Championships
Aug 10 - Estonian athlete Andrus Värnik managed to throw his javelin 87.17 meters and this was enough to give him the Men's Javelin gold medal at the Helsinki World Championships in Athletics 2005. This is Estonia's second medal so far. Gerd Kanter took the silver medal in the men's discus.
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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