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The President of the Republic at Paide opened the Conference "140 Days in the European Union"17.09.2004
President Arnold Rüütel today at the Cultural Centre of Paide opened the Conference "140 Days in the European Union" organized by Estonian Agricultural Producers Central Union.
The President of the Republic opening the conference stressed that in Estonia agriculture was and would remain a strategic branch of production, which had to provide our population with high quality food and local industry with raw material. "Apart from that, agriculture has to play an important role in preserving our traditional rural life, man-made landscapes and natural communities. We regard these aspects in Estonia as an important part of our national heritage. Also the common agricultural policy of the European Union values both rural life as a whole and environment sparing and improving production in the countryside," the Estonian Head of State observed.
President Rüütel noted that Estonia's agricultural output, which after the restoration of independence had experienced a steep decline, had stabilized by now. "Yet, from 2004 onwards, under the conditions of the EU single market and variety of support schemes, an increase is to be expected," the President of the Republic added.
President Rüütel also said that in future the importance of knowledge-based economy - of modernizing production processes and tackling product innovation - would be constantly growing. "However, while doing so, we must not concentrate on a few high-tech products but approach economy on a much broader scale. I am sure that innovation and knowledge-based approach will not be confined to industry only but inevitably be implemented in agriculture too," spoke the President of the Republic.
Public Relations Unit of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, September 17, 2004
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