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The President of the Republic had a meeting with the Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces14.11.2001
In Kadriorg today, President Arnold Rüütel gave a dinner to Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, the Commander of the Finnish defence forces, and to the Finnish officers accompanying him, as well as to the Estonian officers who had today received the aiguillettes and the certificates for having completed the general staff courses abroad, also in Finland, within the last ten years.
On the meeting, the President of the Republic and the Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces spoke of the ten years of co-operation between the Finnish and Estonian defence forces, and agreed that today's festive ceremony had a symbolic value. As Admiral Kaskeala said, the Estonian Defence Forces have completed one stage of development today. ''Together with our Estonian colleagues, we stated that the Estonian defence forces, having received different kinds of support from Finland within ten years, are now able to stand on their own feet, and that from now on, the military relations between Estonia and Finland will be based on co-operation between two equal states,'' the Admiral said.
In his address, Admiral Kaskeala emphasised that it was his pleasure to see that both on the presidential level and on the level of the commanders of the defence forces, the first visits are made to the closest neighbours, and that he would meet the President of the Republic again already next week in Helsinki.
The President of the Republic thanked the Republic of Finland and the Finnish defence forces for their support to the Estonian defence forces.
Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, November 14, 2001
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