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The President of the Republic at the meeting with the NATO Military Committee on September 10 2004 at Kadriorg10.09.2004
Honourable General Kujat,
Members of the Military Committee, Commanders of the Member States' Defence Forces,
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I would like to welcome you in this three hundred year-old baroque palace in Kadriorg, which is one of the most beautiful buildings of Tallinn, the capital of the Republic of Estonia!
Our history is rich in events influenced by world history. In the whirl of epochal events of the last century Estonia achieved its national independence, lost it tragically after about twenty years and restored it half a century later.
Following the restoration of independence in 1991 our state became a founding member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, which was established at the NATO Summit in Rome. We set membership in NATO as our goal. Ten years ago we joined the NATO Partnership for Peace programme and since then the cooperation between Estonia and NATO has continued in various forms.
Estonia managed to achieve one of its foreign policy priorities this year. On April 2 Estonian and NATO flags were hoisted simultaneously here in Kadriorg and in Brussels.
Public support for NATO has been strong and stable in Estonia; also our own defence forces enjoy a high rating. The stable public support for NATO derives from NATO's capability to act and also from the fact that the values and the role of NATO are important in today's troubled world. People of a small country that has a heavy burden of historical heritage, very clearly sense the necessity of collective security.
The world map and the global security environment have considerably changed during the last 15-20 years. But today's world still contains different threats, and therefore we have to join our efforts to protect common goals and values.
Attacks in New York, Washington and Madrid show us that there are still such forces in the world that spread chaos shedding the blood of thousands of innocent people. Such forces not only destabilize the peaceful development in the world but also fight against democratic values. We have to be prepared for such attacks.
NATO membership involves responsibilities for each member state and the fulfilment of those responsibilities is one of the priorities in developing defence capabilities. Collective and each other supportive activity could not exist without individual contribution of each state. The presence of NATO forces in the Balkans and Afghanistan significantly helps to stabilize the situation in those regions and in the world as a whole. It is also a good example of cooperation between different states and Estonia has its contribution in this.
NATO, an organisation that comprises 26 states, plays immeasurable role in maintaining peace and stability in the world. Estonia feels the support and solidarity of all NATO members. A remarkable example of such support is the fact that NATO fighter planes carry out air defence patrol flights in the airspace of the Baltic states and we hope that this will continue also in future.
We perceive the common goals and unity of the Alliance and we believe in them. I assure you that Estonia will make its contribution into strengthening of global security and will be an equal partner to its allies.
Honourable Guests! Once again - welcome to Estonia!
I raise the glass in honour of our guests and to our common values and aspirations!
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