Visa free deal edging closer

TALLINN 's Estonia's desired visa-free travel status with theUnited States will take a step closer next week when the country will sign amemorandum of mutual understanding with the U.S.

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip Friday told reporters that the signing had beenscheduled for March 12.

At a joint press conference given together with Latvian Prime Minister IvarsGodmanis Ansip said that in the opinion of both Estonia and Latviabilateral visa waiver talks with the United States would have to be continued.

"But these talks must not bring agreements that are in contradictionwith regulations of the European Union or our domestic laws," Ansip said.

A spokesman for the Estonian Foreign Ministry Thursday told BNS that in the talkswith the US Estonia would stick to the joint position of the EuropeanUnion agreed on at ambassadors level on Wednesday.

Wednesday evening, the European Union coordinated at the ambassadors' levelthe joint position the member countries must accept as the basis in talks overthe visa waiver with the United States.

According to that decision the joint visa policy is in the competence of thecommunity and member countries must observe the principle of solidarity in theissue. But the ambassadors underlined that it was in the interests of theEuropean Union to achieve early visa waiver with the United States on equalprinciples for all citizens.

Richard C. Barth, US Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, said inMid-February that Estonia could accede to the US visa waiver programalready this year. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, too, has expressed such hope.

The Czech Republic signed on February 26 a bilateral air security and visa memorandumwith the aim of abolishing visas between the two countries. The Czech decisionirritated the European Commission and some EU member countries who said thatthe Czech Republic violated the European Union's supremacy in visa and borderpolicy.