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Estonian Review: February 21-27, 2005
09.03.2005
TOP NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
TOP NEWS
President Rüütel will not travel to Russia on 9 May
Mar 07 Official Statement - Today, I made my decision not to accept the invitation to participate in the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War to be held on 9 May in Moscow. I have informed Russian President Vladimir Putin in writing.
Our sad and cautionary historical experience makes us appreciate values, which are based on trust and respect in relations between states. The protection of these values will secure lasting peace in the world and free development of nations.
The Estonian people along with the citizens of other states will bow their heads in commemoration of the millions of people who perished in the tragic battles of World War II; for those who fought against the fascist regime and for those who lost their lives as innocent victims in the turmoil that raged all over Europe.
In the largest tragedy of the 20th century, many nations had to endure heavy suffering. The sacrifice-ridden fight of the Russian people helped defeat the Nazi empire that was endangering Europe. Among the many states and nations that suffered under fascist occupation, Estonia also made its contribution in the fight against the Nazi regime.
Unfortunately, Estonia did not have a chance to freely choose its future after the end of World War II. We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that after the end of the German occupation, the opportunity to restore our own state was forcibly taken away from the Estonian people. The fate of our people was, for decades, to be determined by the conspiracy agreement signed between the Soviet Union led by Stalin and fascist Germany on 23 August 1939.
As a nation that had severely suffered during the war, we had to endure the execution, deportation and persecution of thousands of people in the time of peace. Those sufferings have touched almost every Estonian family. During the first year of the Stalinist regime, the higher leadership of the Estonian officers corps, members of the Government and many other society leaders were systematically executed or sent to prison camps. The Stalinist reign of terror split families and left children without their parents. Tens of thousands of people had to flee, leaving behind their relatives and their native homes.
The consequences of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact still influence today's Estonia. Tens of thousands of innocent Estonians were deported to Siberia and replaced by non-Estonians from all over the Soviet Union. Prominent Estonian cultural figures have pointed out the result of these processes in their addresses to the UN General Assembly, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe.
These events have left an everlasting mark in the memory of our people. We know that people in Russia and elsewhere, where the Stalinist dictatorship reached, also suffered under the pressure of the totalitarian regime. We believe that being aware of those experiences would strengthen our common will to leave a secure and habitable world for the generations to come. We have to do everything in our power to leave the holocaust and the Ukrainian holodomor in the past forever.
I am glad that we had a chance to talk openly about the recent history with President Putin at our last meeting in Moscow. I am convinced that a mutually honest attitude towards the history of our people will make it possible to overcome the shadows of the past and further develop good neighbourly co-operation between the two countries.
Estonia has repeatedly confirmed its readiness and openness to co-operate with Russia in fields of mutual interest. For several years, we have been ready to sign the border agreement with Russia. At the meeting with President Putin, we agreed that the agreement should be signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and in the near future. This would confirm the existence of good will and trust for further co-operation between our countries.
History is often selective and forgetful. For some time now, we have had a broad public discussion on Estonia's possible participation in the 9 May celebration in Moscow. This topic has caused wide discussion among politicians and Estonian citizens that has reinforced the functioning of our state as a civil society. I would like to thank all the people who participated in this discussion and also for the many letters sent to me on this topic.
In statements made by our fellow citizens, like in the letter from members of the European Parliament to world leaders, it has been stressed that the end of World War II brought victory over fascism along with the Soviet occupation of Estonia.
The suffering of the Estonian people caused by World War II and the following years has not been erased from the memory of the people. But, we believe in a better future and in the irrefutability of our free path of development. As the Head of the State, I have an obligation and a responsibility to support the belief of my people. This I can do best being together with my people on this day.
I believe that this position is understandable to the Estonian people as well as our partners and allies both in the East and in the West. Keeping in mind the international importance of the event being celebrated in Moscow and the necessity of co-operation between the states, I consider it necessary that Estonia be represented at this event by the Prime Minister or a member of the Government of the Republic. I have forwarded the aforementioned suggestion to the Government.
Estonian Foreign Minister renews invitation to Russian counterpart to sign border treaty in Tallinn
Mar 04 - Estonia's Foreign Minister Rein Lang has sent an invitation to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to visit Estonia this spring.
Lang said in his letter dated March 3 that a marvellous opportunity for creating a positive environment for Estonian-Russian relations would undeniably be provided by a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries. "This would allow us to continue the dialogue pursued by my predecessor," said Lang, who replaced Kristiina Ojuland as Estonia's foreign minister last month.
"Please allow me to renew the invitation by my predecessor for you to visit Tallinn this spring. Our meeting would not only help us further develop relations between our two countries, but also provide an exceptionally good opportunity to sign the border treaty between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation," Lang said, also expressing his thanks for the Russian Minister's letter of congratulations on the occasions of his appointment as Foreign Minister.
FOREIGN NEWS
Russia not linking border treaty with Estonia to political declaration
Mar 05 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia did not wish to tie the signing of the border agreement with Estonia to a joint declaration.
The Russian Foreign Minister made a phone call to his Estonian counterpart Rein Lang to state that Russia does not wish to link the signing of the border treaty to any joint declaration.
The Estonian Minister said that this was a pleasant surprise. Lang also informed the Latvian Foreign Minister, Artis Pabriks, of the Russian position.
Estonian Foreign Minister backs extending troop mission in Iraq
Mar 01 - Foreign Minister Rein Lang defended plans to extend the stay of Estonian troops in Iraq, justifying them with the fact that this is the wish of the Iraqi government and the necessity of considering possible future threats to Estonia's security.
Lang told the national broadcaster Eesti Raadio that the head of Iraq's Interim Government, Iyad Allawi, had sent a letter to Prime Minister Juhan Parts thanking Estonia for its aid to the Iraqi people and requesting that the troop mission be extended by one year.
"We can say that Allawi is the outgoing Head of Government, but for some reason I believe Iraq's new Government will write exactly the same letter to all member states of the international coalition contributing troops to the Iraqi mission," he said.
The Minister, who expects that Estonia and Iraq will soon establish diplomatic relations, asked rhetorically whether it isn't our duty to take into consideration the request of the freely elected Government of one state to that of another.
If Estonia withdraws troops from Iraq nothing will happen immediately, but something may happen 10 or 15 years from now, the Minister said.
According to Lang, Estonia has to stake on the democracies that are able to defend themselves and others. The EU lacks military capacity contrary to NATO where the United States plays the leading role. This is realpolitik for Estonia, he said.
Baltic States are reliable allies in NATO, EU - Estonian Defence Minister
Mar 03 - The Defence Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania met at the beginning of this month in Lithuania to discuss three-way co-operation and participation in international operations.
"I find that the first year (of membership) in NATO and the European Union has shown that the Baltic States are allies who don't shirk their duties as an ally," Estonian Defence Minister Jaak Jõerüüt said. "The best example of this is Lithuania's recent decision to lead a provincial reconstruction team and Estonia's to join a British-led reconstruction team in Afghanistan."
The Ministers underlined the importance of participation in the Afghanistan mission. Estonia intends to increase its contribution in accordance with a parliamentary mandate that allows the Baltic State to send up to 25 soldiers to Afghanistan.
The Commander of the Defence Forces, Vice Adm. Tarmo Kõuts, said that Estonia might increase its participation in the NATO mission by around a dozen soldiers this year. In his words, there is a possibility that a mobile unit or units of 50-75 men will be sent to Afghanistan next year.
The Ministers discussed the participation of the three states in peacekeeping operations and the Iraqi mission. The joint communiqué of the meeting noted that the Baltic Defence Ministers welcome Ukraine's integration into Euro-Atlantic structures and are ready to help the country carry out security and defence reforms. Ukrainian officers are being trained at the Baltic Defence College based in Tartu, Estonia for the second year.
The Ministers also signed a plan on three-way co-operation for 2005.
Estonia shares EU position on lifting arms ban on China
Mar 02 - Estonia shares the European Union's position on lifting the arms embargo on China. Visiting U.S. Ambassador to the EU Rockwell Schnabel told reporters in Tallinn that the United States and the EU differ about the arms ban on China. The United States is against lifting the embargo whereas the EU wants to revoke it. Estonia shares the EU position pointing out that discussion of the issue in the 25-member bloc hasn't been finished yet.
The European Council last December affirmed the political will to continue efforts towards revoking the arms embargo, stressing that arms export from any EU member state to China should not increase, whatever the decision.
Schnabel also commended Estonia for its contribution to the Iraqi mission. In his words, NATO's role in that country will soon increase, in particular in the sphere of developing and training Iraqi defence structures. The United States needs allies to secure peace in the Middle East and each helping hand is welcome, he said.
Estonian Foreign Minister: Latvian history policy is good for the Baltic States
Feb 28 - Estonian Foreign Minister Rein Lang has expressed support for Latvia's policy of explaining to the world the difficult choice the Baltic States faced in 1944 and the reason why Baltic States regard Russia as an occupant rather than a liberator.
"What Latvia is doing now is good for all the three Baltic States," Lang said in a foreign policy program on Kuku Raadio.
Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga is the only Baltic President who has accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to attend the May 9 festivities in Moscow to mark the end of World War Two. Latvia has at the same time launched a campaign to explain the difficult choices of Latvia and the other Baltic States in 1944 when the Soviet Army was about to invade the Baltic countries.
Estonia's Mikko heads the delegation of European Parliament observers in Moldova
Mar 03 - Marianne Mikko, a social democrat from Estonia, heads the European Parliament delegation observing the general elections in Moldova.
The seven-member delegation working in Moldova will publish its findings on Monday. Mikko said Europe backs Moldova's efforts to restore territorial integrity and condemns the presence of Russian troops in the country, but warns that European democracy criteria must be observed in the parliamentary elections.
Moldova will in the coming years have to make a serious effort to carry out reforms to strengthen democracy, market economy and the rule of law, because only this way can it persuade the European Union of the sincerity of its integration bid, she added.
Four Members of the Estonian Parliament will also be going to Chisinau to observe the general elections.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Estonia's January industrial output down 2 per cent on month
Feb 28 - Industrial production in Estonia decreased in January 2005 compared to December, but grew in comparison with January of the previous year, the Statistical Office reported.
Seasonally adjusted industrial production in Estonia declined two percent in January 2005 compared to December.
A drop in the output of the energy and mining sectors mainly caused the decrease in industrial production month on month. Production in manufacturing remained at the same level as in December.
Compared to January 2004, industrial output in Estonia grew three per cent as a whole and nine per cent in manufacturing.
Estonia spent EUR 66.8 million on R&D in 2003
Feb 28 - Estonia's total expenditure on research and development crossed the one billion-kroon mark for the first time amounting to 1.046 billion kroons (EUR 66.8 mln) in 2003. For the first time, the share of government financed R&D was lower than 50 per cent, the Statistical Office reported.
The goal of reaching the one billion-kroon mark was added to the Estonian Strategy for Research and Development Knowledge-based Estonia, approved by the Riigikogu in 2001, where the forecast for the year 2003 stood at 1.004 billion kroons.
The annual average growth rate of R&D expenditure was about 18 per cent in the years 1998-2003. The rate was higher than average in the enterprise sector where the volume of R&D expenditure has quadrupled in five years.
R&D intensity in the old European Union member states was 1.99 per cent in 2002, while in the ten acceding countries the average ratio was 0.79 percent. Estonia with its 0.83 per cent intensity belongs to the same group as Portugal and Greece.
Growth in retail sales slows down in Estonia in early 2005
Mar 02 - The Estonian Statistical Office said retail sales turnover increased by eight per cent in stable prices in January compared to January 2003, but the growth rate slowed down.
In January, retail sales totalled three billion kroons (EUR 191.7 mln). The growth in 2003 equalled 13 percent.
The Statistical Office said that retail sale in non-specialized grocery stores, where retail sale of goods increased by 14 percent, had the biggest effect on the growth in January.
Currency Rates in Kroons
March 6, 2005
British pound - GBP - 22.734
Canadian dollar - CAD - 9.585
Swiss franc - CHF - 10.101
Danish krone - DKK - 2.102
Japanese yen - JPY - 0.113
Latvian lat - LVL - 22.467
Lithuanian lit - LTL - 4.532
Norwegian krone - NOK - 1.903
Russian rouble - RUB - 0.430
Swedish krona - SEK - 1.730
US dollar - USD - 11.920
Euro - EUR - 15.647
CULTURAL NEWS
Former Culture Minister Signe Kivi becomes rector of Estonian Academy of Arts
Mar 04 - An electoral college elected MP Signe Kivi, former Minister of Culture, as rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts.
Kivi, 48, beat rival candidate Professor Juhan Maiste by votes 34 to 29. Kivi is a textile design graduate of the Estonian State Institute of Arts, which is how the Estonian Academy of Arts was called at the time. Kivi has worked as teacher and as the Head of the Textile Department, and later as the President of the Estonian Artists Union. She worked as Minister of Culture from 1999-2002.
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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