Kokk discusses unified foreign service with Czechs

TALLINN - Foreign Ministry Secretary General Marten Kokk, in the Czech Republic for a visit, met with Czech Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Galuska and Deputy Minister and Secretary General of Foreign Affairs Milan Sedlacek. The creation of the European External Action Service was discussed at the meetings, as were European Union enlargement, the Eastern Partnership, and Estonia-Czech bilateral relations.

Kokk emphasized that in forming the European External Action Service, it is essential that diplomats from all the member states make up at least one third of the entire service. “The European External Action Service and the representative participation of the diplomats of member states in it will help to increase the coherence of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy while also ensuring the better coordination of the EU’s other foreign activities,” Kokk noted. “Another important issue in the formation of the foreign service is to ensure that the External Action Service also includes European Union consular functions. If consular functions are not included in the service, it will never meet the expectations of citizens of member states,” said Kokk.

In April, the European Union foreign ministers approved Catherine Ashton’s plan for creating the European External Action Service. The Foreign Ministry secretary general and the Czech deputy minister of foreign affairs acknowledged the need to quickly reach a final decision. “Drawing out the process is not useful for anyone,” said Kokk, expressing hope that the unified foreign service could begin its work in the fall of this year.

Kokk said that both Estonia and the Czech Republic are supporters of the European Union open-door policy. While talking about issues related to EU enlargement, Kokk noted that the EU must take a more active position in regard to its partners and support the reform activities of potential member states more purposefully. “It would be good if we could begin negotiations with all the Western Balkan nations within the next few years and complete negotiations with Croatia in the next year and a half. It is also important to begin accession negotiations with Iceland,” said Kokk.

He also explained that based on this principle, Estonia would like to, for example, contribute to strengthening the institutions of Eastern Partnership states. “For example, at the end of April we organized a seminar in Tallinn on public administration reform for specialists from our partner countries,” said Kokk, who also expressed his satisfaction that the Czechs also have plans to organize similar training seminars for experts from partner countries.
With Sedlacek, ideas were exchanged about how to develop the foreign service during an economically difficult time with limited budgetary means.

Later, on June 4, Kokk opened the Estonian Honorary Consulate in Brno. He stated that relations between Estonia and the Czech Republic have been good and long-lived. “Already in the ’20s, during the last century, our young nations established diplomatic ties and we had our first Estonian honorary consul in Brno,” said Kokk. He added that by opening the consulate the nations still share similar views. “Estonia and the Czech Republic have both integrated with Euro-Atlantic structures and started to support Europe’s eastern neighbors together,” said Kokk.

At the opening of the honorary consulate, the secretary general also noted that it is a joy to see the Czechs’ interest in Estonia growing year after year. “Among other things, it has brought about the translating of Vilde, Tammsaare, Kross, Kaplinski, Tatte and other Estonian authors into Czech and the creation of an Estonian language chair at the University of Brno,” Kokk said. “The Estonian Honorary Consulate in Brno will provide an even better opportunity to intensify ties and diversify relations,” he added.