New appointments in the Baltics

Marten Kokk, 28 years old, will become the new director of the state Chancellery from August 27 this year. A professional lawyer, Kokk took additional studies at Birmingham University in the U.K. and also worked with the crisis regulation department of the Swedish Foreign Policy Institute.

From 1994 to 1999, Kokk worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia in various posts, the last one being the head of its human rights department.

Kokk has been working at the state Chancellery since September 1999 in the IT division and also as an adviser to the secretary of state.

The new post for Tiit Laja, the former director of the state Chancellery, is that of managing director of the Estonian Union of Employers and Producers.

Juhani Seilenthal became chief of the Estonian branch of Nordea Bank on July 1. His predecessor, Matti Hakavuori, who held the office from 1999, has moved to Helsinki to head the customer concept division of the bank.

Seilenthal graduated from Tartu University's law faculty and has been working for Nordea (Merita Bank) since 1994. He became a board member of the Estonian branch in 1996 and got promoted in 1999.

Up to his present appointment he was the vice-president of the bank in Estonia and headed the corporate clients service.

Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus on June 26 appointed former Defense Minister Ceslovas Stankevicius, 64, as Lithuania's new ambassador to Norway. From 1996 to 2000, Stankevicius served as Lithuania's defense minister.

He will replace Kornelija Jurgaitiene who served as Lithuanian ambassador to Norway from 1994. Jurgaitiene is now an adviser to the foreign minister.

Jonas Rudalevicius was appointed Lithuania's new ambassador to Austria and will assume office July 9. Rudalevicius, 51, had until his appointment served as an adviser in the Foreign Ministry. He had previously served as adviser to Lithuania's ambassador in Germany.

From 1996 to 1999, Rudalevicius was deputy foreign minister, and later occupied the post of public administration reform and local authorities minister. He will replace former Ambassador to Austria Ginte Damusyte who is now serving in the Lithuanian mission to NATO.