Clinton on stump in Tallinn

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton gave a symbolic nod to Baltic membership in NATO during a speech June 10 in Tallinn.

"If NATO guarantees Estonia's security, Estonia can calmly build relationships with other countries, including Russia," he told about 500 business and political leaders at a one-day economic forum. The forum was sponsored by IBM and the daily newspaper Aripaev.

Most paid up to $900 to hear Clinton's address, for which he reportedly charged $150,000. The high ticket price, about three times the average monthly salary in Estonia, left several seats empty.

"How can Estonia take maximum advantage of the changes that have taken place in the world?" he asked. "First it should proceed with global integration, especially with the EU."

Clinton went on to say that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have earned their places in NATO and the EU.

It was Clinton's first visit to Estonia. He was in Latvia in 1994.

Clinton was accompanied on a tour of Tallinn's Old Town by former Estonian President Len-nart Meri. He later met briefly with current President Arnold Ruutel.

Clinton's speech in Tallinn is one of more than 200 formal lectures he has given since leaving office in January 2000.

According to an April profile in the U.S. magazine Newsweek, Clinton is earning between $200,000 to $300,000 per speech for overseas engagements. He gets about $125,000 per speech back home.

About 40 percent of his speeches are for pay, according to Newsweek.

Estimates put his annual speaking-fee income at $10 million to $15 million.