IBLS INTERNET LAW - NEWS PORTAL_Estonia Prime Minister Ansip Met with FBI Director Mueller (October 4)

04.10.2007

ESTONIA: Estonia Prime Minister Ansip Met with FBI Director Mueller

On September 19th, 2007, Estonia Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met with FBI director Robert Mueller at Stenbock House, who commended Estonia''''s IT development and expressed his desire to partake in our experience in fighting cyber attacks.

According to the Prime Minister, Estonia is happy to share its experiences. "Although we did not wish for such an experience, now that we have it, we are certainly ready to share it," Ansip said.

The Prime Minister also commended the cooperation of the security institutions of both countries in dealing with the critical moment in the spring. Largely thanks to the knowledge gained from the Americans, many of the attacks were able to be prevented. FBI instructors have held trainings seminars in Estonia about computer crimes as well as terrorism, white-collar crimes, money laundering, corruption, economic and financial crimes, etc.

The Prime Minister expressed his thanks to the Americans for their support in the restoration of Estonia"s independence. "It was very important for Estonians that the biggest and strongest country in the world supported us during this decisive period," Prime Minister Ansip said. Also, the importance of the training performed by the FBI instructors cannot be underestimated in the reestablishment of Estonia''''s Police force. Much stress was given to the training of criminal investigators, which was very important considering the criminal situation in the Estonia during that period.

The FBI director acknowledged Estonia''''s participation in foreign missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. "We received help when we needed it and now we have a moral obligation to help others", Ansip said.

Estonia''''s and America''''s law enforcement establishments are tied by long-lasting cooperation. One of the primary cooperation partners of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been the United States'''' FBI Academy, where police officers have been trained since 1994. Fourteen officers of the Estonian Police and Security Police have taken part in such in-service trainings. Today we can talk of cooperation that spans the fight against organised crime, cyber crime and terrorism.

Mueller has worked as FBI director since 2001. He was officially appointed to office one week before the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA.  

By Estonia Government Communication Office Briefing Room

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