Estonia does its NATO homework

TALLINN - On a two-day visit to Estonia on Feb. 8 and 9, NATO Assistant Secretary general Klaus-Peter Klaiber officially recognized the progress of the Estonian defense forces and said that Estonia is well on the path to becoming NATO-compatible.

Harri Tiido, Foreign Ministry deputy chancellor, said Estonia has reached a stage of progress where a country cannot make empty promises. ÒIf Estonia has set itself a concrete goal then we must fulfill it. International organizations may check up on the fulfillment of promises at any moment,Ó he said.

The visit was full of meetings and inspections. The secretary met Foreign Minister Toomas Ilves, Defense Minister Juri Luik and commander of the defense forces Rear-Admiral Tarmo Kõuts. The NATO delegates also met Estonian MPs and officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The NATO working group arrived in Estonia to get acquainted with the preparations for membership in the Alliance and evaluate the implementation of specific programs designed to bring the countryÕs defense forces into line with NATO norms. These include the Annual National Program and the Individual Partnership Program.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia continuously supports mutually useful dialog with Russia regarding NATO enlargement. ÒAs for relations between Russia and NATO, Estonia is not a member country and does not consider it necessary to promote its own point of view,Ó said ministry spokesman Taavi Toom.

The NATO representatives will draw up a report and submit it to the North Atlantic Council for a meeting between the council and an Estonian delegation in April in what is called a "19+1" meeting.

ÒEstonia has done its homework,Ó Klaiber said. ÒI am leaving with very good impressions.Ó

The endorsement of the national Estonian security concept last year was a very important step, he added. The concept is one of the main requirements set by NATO with regard to the political and economical aspects of membership.

Kaliber also approved plans to raise defense expenditure 2 percent of GDP within the next two years, which is a must for Estonia to meet the criteria for accession. According to Klaiber, NATO member countries spend at least 2.2 percent of GDP on national defense on average.