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 | Speeches | | |
The President of the Republic at the Czech Institute for International Relations in Prague, 2 May 200202.05.2002
Dear Colleagues,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year 2002 is a year of great challenges and crucial decisions. It will put to the test politicians' abilities to take long-term interests as the starting point, to make difficult but necessary decisions now and not to postpone them any longer. Apart from the enlargement there are many other topics on the agenda of both NATO and the European Union but still, that is just the principal challenge of the moment.
Last year in May our today's host, President Havel, said: "The European post-Communist countries truly belong to the West - geographically, historically, culturally as well as in terms of their values. Thus they have every right to stress that they were torn out of the Western community by force and that their natural place is within that community."
This speech, delivered in Bratislava, contained many strong arguments for NATO enlargement - the enlargement covering also the Baltic States. Today, roughly a year later, we can see that many leaders of the world have got the message sent by the Czech President. He was then concerned about some thought patterns, but today, I am pleased to note that the impact of those former attitudes has dwindled in Western capitals.
Distinguished Listeners,
In Estonia, being on the way to NATO, we have often been thinking of what are we going to bring along with us. Our small country, peaceful in a Northern way, with its 1,4 million residents will by no means add too much to the statistical potential of the Alliance. Yet, on the other hand, every square kilometre of peace and stability in Europe - wherever located - is worth its weight in gold. According to opinion polls, our small population is strongly favouring NATO, ready to continuously bear the load of defence appropriations amounting to 2 % of GDP and, if needed, to participate personally in defending their state. And so, Estonia`s accession to NATO would equal to 45 thousand square kilometres more of stable area on our continent and 1,4 million more people willing to protect this area of peace and stability from the risks of the contemporary world.
Estonia, resting on its basic documents of security and defence policy, is consistently building up its different capacities, which - meeting this day`s high demands - we can use as our contribution to most different NATO operations, or for the purpose of participating in different coalitions. With view to the ratio of men having participated in peacekeeping operations to the total number of inhabitants, we are already now ranking among the first in Europe. To say it in contemporary political parlance: Estonia is producing security.
Building our defence forces, ensuring their capability of operating jointly with allies - in the first place we need it ourselves, but it also enables us to make our contribution to the cause of common values. That's the way it is at present and it will also be so after our expected accession to NATO. The Prague Summit will be a significant landmark on our long way and its positive outcome would definitely supply us with new energy for subsequent efforts.
Estonia can in its preparations and following process of adaptation draw on experience and support of the new members of NATO. And in this context, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our hosts - the Czech Republic.
Membership Action Plans worked out and implemented jointly with NATO are to advantage of the next acceding countries and, at the moment, we are developing one more of these annual plans. In the planning process we have identified solutions, which are in line with this day's needs, our duties as future allies, and our possibilities. And so, it can be said that we have indeed made our objectives to match with our possibilities.
All the time following the restoration of its independence, Estonia has purposefully worked together with its Baltic neighbours. The co-operation in the defence sector has been very successful, thus demonstrating that our three countries, without doubt, can be good allies also after having been admitted to NATO. The series of joint projects having started with the Baltic Battalion is lengthening ever more. In Estonia, we are pleased to have in our ancient university town Tartu the Baltic Defence College, which has become an important centre for both training officers and researching defence issues.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Of course, the Prague Summit for us in Estonia is first of all NATO's enlargement summit but, at the same time, its prime topic is Alliance's response to the challenges of the present world. NATO has been capable of finding responses to the global changes of the past decades, and we are confident that it is capable of doing that also today. NATO has been created for common defence and we wish to join a succeeding and advancing organisation of common defence, not some kind of talking shop on politics in general.
Never before has NATO's scope been so global as it is now and there is no doubt that it will continue to extend. Anticipation of lurking threats has become ever more difficult and therefore, the Alliance must create capacities to be flexible and to react rapidly to unforeseeable and asymmetric threats.
Considering the new security situation after 11 September, an important course of our action is contributing to joint efforts in fighting terrorism. Taking measures against organized crime, securing our borders and other similar activities are linked with our previous tasks in strengthening our security. Estonia has shared its recognized experience from the border surveillance with several countries from different parts of Europe, doing this in collaboration with many of its NATO partners. As yet, no traces of terrorist groupings, financing or supplying them via Estonia have been ascertained.
It is only natural that prevention of crises, use of political instruments and continuous exchange of views between allies rank highly amid the activities of NATO. Estonia is interested in the transatlantic relationship developing in accordance with new challenges and based on shared values.
An important element of the new international situation has been the development of relations between NATO and Russia. Right from the start, Estonia has been supporting the proposals to form a NATO-Russia Council. It is in line with Estonian long-term policy aimed at positive integration of Russia and it accords with our interests.
Recently, there have been lots of talks about the future of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. In our view, it is possible to do in the framework established by the present basic document much more than has been done so far. Thus, several partner states have suggested steps to promote the activities of this co-operation body of NATO and a large group of other countries.
During the more than ten years since the restoration of our independence, Estonia has supported NATO's undertakings, and more than once been asked to participate in carrying out different decisions. I am sure, that my colleagues would confirm it. Incessantly growing support to the invitation of the Baltic States to NATO proves that we are being trusted and expected.
Thank you for your attention!
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