TALLINN - Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves's meeting on Oct. 8 with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen centered on discussions of the alliance's operations in Afghanistan and the topic of collective defense. "In the course of the Afghanistan operation and in directing it onto the path of success, all of us, i.e. NATO and the alliance's partners, must demonstrate patience, resolve, a belief in victory and an ever better plan of action," said Ilves. He considered it important to improve the effectiveness of the cooperation between NATO, the UN, the European Union and other international organizations in resolving Afghanistan's problems, reports news agency LETA.
The NATO Secretary General acknowledged the service of the members of the Estonian Defense Forces in increasing stability in the most complicated and dangerous areas in southern Afghanistan.
According to President Ilves, along with military steps, it is important to pay increasing attention to civilian projects in Afghanistan, with the objective of strengthening the state and improving the daily lives of as many people as possible. "However, it is also important that the projects are sustainable even after they are handed over to the Afghans, and that Afghanistan's dependence on external aid is not increased, which we are already noticing," President Ilves warned.
The meeting discussed the framing of the alliance's new strategic concept, regarding the importance that emphasis be placed on the principle of collective defense as the foundation of NATO. "NATO must be a visible and credible presence in all its member states, as we in the Baltic countries are aware of NATO through the Air Policing mission," said Ilves.
He also emphasized the importance of continuing NATO's open door policy, adding that every country that aspires to membership should be examined individually, based on its progress.
President Ilves and Secretary General Rasmussen also spoke about NATO-Russian relations, hoping there for an improvement; this however would necessitate increased trust. The Estonian Head of State expressed concern about the recent exercises by Russian military forces in the immediate vicinity of NATO's eastern border, to which observers from the alliance's member states were not invited.
Rasmussen also met with Foreign Minister Urmas Paet. Statements from this meeting included that "The other principles of the Washington Treaty, like joint crisis management, are also important. The NATO strategic concept must address new risks as well, such as issues related to cyber security."
NATO's new strategic concept will be a central topic at the NATO foreign ministers' meeting being held in Tallinn in April 2010. "All of the members of the alliance must feel included in both the process and the outcome of the creation of the new strategic concept. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have appointed a joint representative to the group that is preparing the new strategy - former Latvian ambassador to the U.S. and NATO Aivis Ronis," said Paet.
At the meeting, Rasmussen highlighted Estonia's contribution in Helmand Province, one of the most difficult regions in Afghanistan, where Estonian soldiers work together with British, American and Danish forces. "Problems must be addressed at their roots," Paet emphasised. "In order to achieve success in Afghanistan, Estonia would like to continue working with civil projects as well. The development of Afghan society and the ability to manage their own nation is the goal of the presence of international forces," Paet added.
Paet stated that Estonia is prepared for long-term contributions, until conditions are reached that allow for the Afghans to independently ensure peace and safety in their nation. Paet and Rasmussen agreed that the alliance's cooperation with its partners, including Russia, is very important. "In order to achieve NATO-Russia cooperation that is based on reciprocal interest, an essential component is active interest and participation from the Russian side," Paet stressed.
Ilves believes that NATO must continue to demonstrate its presence in the Baltic States and that the alliance should organize military exercises in the region. "At a time when Russia is organizing large-scale military exercises near NATO's border, it would not be a bad idea to organize military exercises in our region as well," said Ilves.
He emphasizes that Russia's neighbors are interested in friendly and mutually beneficial relations. "At the same time remembering Russia's behavior in the past year, for example, its aggression against Georgia, the gas conflict with Ukraine and conflicts with other neighbors, we should not be overly optimistic on the 'restart' of relations with Russia," he concludes.
