WASHINGTON - During a meeting with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on June 25, U.S. President George W. Bush expressed condolences for the families of the two Estonian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Ilves met with Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other high-ranking officials during a visit to the White House that lasted almost two hours.
It was their second meeting in just six months, following Bush's visit to Tallinn in November. It was also the first time an Estonian president has met one-on-one with the U.S. president in America 's previously such visits were held simultaneously with the heads of state from Latvia and Lithuania.
During their meeting in the Oval Office, Bush and Ilves discussed the Afghanistan attacks, the recent "cyber attacks" against Estonia, visa free travel and relations with Russia.
Ilves said the meeting affirmed the close alliance between the two nations.
"A belief in freedom has bound Estonia and the United States into strong allies who understand the importance of supporting each other and who help those who need assistance to the best of their ability," Ilves said.
Ilves thanked the U.S. for its support during the late April "cyber attacks", which Bush said had served as a lesson for both countries.
He encouraged NATO to consider establishing a center of excellence for cyber defense in Tallinn 's a proposal from the Estonian Government that has gained momentum.
"Estonia gathered fame at the end of the last century for its Tiger's Leap program that resulted in the internetization of the country, and now we must seriously tackle the Tiger's Security program to safeguard us all from cyber attacks," Ilves said. "Let's be honest, in the field of cyber security, compared to the United States, the European Union seriously lags behind both technically as well as legislatively, and the participation of the United States in the cyber security center planned for Estonia would be a great bonus for the center."
He reminded Bush of his promise to help achieve visa free travel for Estonian citizens 's a matter that is now in the hands of the U.S. Congress.
The presidents also spoke at length about US-Russian and EU-Russian relations.
"Normal and good neighborly relations with Russia are in Estonia's interest, unfortunately, we do not currently see the same wish on the part of our neighbor," Ilves said.
"A more complicated reason may be found in an interpretation of Russia's incomprehensible fear of its democratic neighbors and democracy, a part of which is expressed in the threat to direct nuclear missiles at Europe."
Ilves said it was important that the United States and the EU act toward Russia with strong unity.
During his visit to Washington, Ilves also met with members of the House of Representatives and Senate and editorial staff of The Washington Post, laid a wreath at the memorial to victims of communism, and spoke at a reception at Congress ahead of a screening of the documentary film "The Singing Revolution."
