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The President of the Republic is on an official visit to Denmark14.09.2004
 President Arnold Rüütel today on his official visit to Denmark in Copenhagen met with Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Speaker of the Parliament Christian Mejdahl and Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and opened a business seminar at the Danish Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
At the meeting with Speaker of the Folketing Christian Mejdahl, both sides emphasized that the close and fruitful cooperation between Estonia and Denmark both bilaterally and within the framework of the EU and NATO was to develop further at different levels. The importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation was highlighted separately.
Thereafter, the Estonian Head of State at the Danish Chamber of Commerce and Industry opened a business seminar, which dealt with experience gained in the hitherto economic cooperation between the two countries, differences in their commercial codes and prospects for cooperation between universities and business. The President of the Republic acknowledged Denmark for being to Estonia a greatly appreciated economic and trade partner. As a destination country of Estonian exports Denmark ranks 6th, and as an originating country of direct investments with 2,3 billion kronor 5th. Denmark, as to both the number and the monetary value of aid projects, is the country which has provided Estonia most in bilateral aid.
Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and His Royal Highness Prince Consort Henrik hosted a luncheon in honour of the Estonian Head of State and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel. At the luncheon, which took place at the Palace of Christian VII at Amalienborg, the Estonian-Danish cultural relationship was under discussion. President Rüütel invited Queen Margrethe II, who as an artist has earned international recognition, to exhibit her works in Estonia, too.
The meeting with Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the latter's Marienborg residence addressed various aspects of relations between Estonia and Denmark. According to Prime Minister Rasmussen, with the Baltic States' accession to the European Union and NATO one of Denmark's foreign policy key objectives pursued during the past 15 years had been realised. The President of the Republic thanked Denmark for the support given Estonia so far, noting that Estonia's reforms to a large extent had been successful owing to this very assistance received from Denmark and other countries.
The Danish Prime Minister also explained the positions contained in his speech given the day before at the Baltic Development Forum in Hamburg. The President of the Republic outlined the relevant processes currently underway in Estonia: the creation of a Baltic United Power System, development of transport network and activities to protect the Baltic Sea. Addressing in the context of the European Union Neighbourhood Policy also the European Union's relationship with Russia, the parties expressed shared hope that at the EU-Russia Summit due to take place in November through a shared approach an action plan detailing the contents of cooperation would be agreed.
The President of the Republic and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel also visited the Middelgrunden Wind Farm located near Copenhagen in the midst of the sea. According to President Rüütel, harnessing wind energy was one of the most promising areas of the Estonian-Danish future economic cooperation. In Denmark's highly efficient energy sector today the proportion of renewable energy amounts to 25%. The Estonian Head of State, on top of that, put forward possible collaboration between the two countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and cooperation in the field of maritime safety already functioning at regional level.
Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel within the scope of her special programme visited the National Museum of Denmark, where she familiarized herself with an exhibition covering the period from 1660 to 2000. Mrs Rüütel also attended a performance by a Danish folk dance group, which took place at Denmark's Open Air Museum. At the University of Copenhagen Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel delivered a lecture entitled "Culture and National Identity in Postmodern Society: Estonian Experience" and participated in a conversation circle that took place thereafter.
The President of the Republic on his official visit is accompanied also by a 20-member business delegation headed by the President of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Toomas Luman. Yesterday, the business delegation at the Confederation of Danish Industries was briefed on Danish exports to Eastern Europe. Today, the members of the business delegation took part in the above business seminar at the Danish Chamber of Commerce and Industry and had a number of business meetings. The Estonian business delegation tomorrow is going to participate in a business seminar at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Odense-Fyn, and to visit the City of Roskilde.
This evening, President Rüütel together with the First Lady will attend a concert by old music ensemble Hortus Musicus at the National Museum of Denmark that is going to be followed by a reception hold by Estonian Ambassador Taavi Toom in honour of the President of the Republic and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel.
Tomorrow, President Rüütel will visit the City of Odense, open a business seminar and an Estonian Honorary Consulate there, and subsequently call at the Lindø Shipyard. The Head of State will arrive back in Estonia on Wednesday, September 15.
Public Relations Unit of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, September 14, 2004
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