Estonia PM, defense minister to present NATO accession plan

TALLINN (BNS) - Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar, Defense Minister Juri Luik and acting defense forces commander Col. Mart Tiru will present Estonia's NATO accession plan to member countries of the alliance in Brussels on March 22.

At a session of the North-Atlantic Council, NATO's highest-level representative decision-makers, Laar will give an overview to the 19 member countries' ambassadors of the steps Estonia has taken in the first year in the framework of the NATO membership action plan, the government's spokesman told BNS.

The prime minister's report will be about how Estonia has met its annual action plan. Laar will speak about Estonia's intention to increase by 2002 Estonia's defense expenditure to 2 percent of the gross domesting product, in agreement with the NATO recommendation to aspirant members.

During the visit to Brussels, Laar will also meet with NATO Secretary General George Robertson.

The North-Atlantic Council is NATO's highest decision-making body made up of member countries' representatives.