Address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia Mr. Urmas Paet to the Riigikogu on behalf of the Government of Estonia 11 February 2010

11.02.2010

Overview of Estonia’s Foreign Policy

Honourable Chairman,
Respected Members of the Riigikogu,
Dear guests,

Today’s foreign policy address is mainly concentrated on the following topics: security, external economic policy, and the European Union. In all three of these realms the last year brought with it progress as well as presented us with new challenges.

We are participating for the first time in the formulation of NATO’s new Strategic Concept, which will also be under discussion this spring at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting taking place in Estonia.

In the economic realm, we have made major decisions that have brought accession to the euro zone within arm’s reach. We are also on the threshold of joining the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development -- the OECD -- which assembles 30 economically likeminded states.

Last spring, Eastern Partnership became an official policy of the European Union, and there are plans to establish an Eastern Partnership training centre here in Tallinn. Thanks to Sweden’s successful leadership, the European Union’s Baltic Sea Strategy, in which Estonia heads the internal market sphere, was approved in the fall. On 1 December the Lisbon Treaty became effective. Now the implementation of the treaty, including the establishment of a common foreign service, is in our hands.

And now, let us take a closer look at the aforementioned topics. First of all, security.

United States President Woodrow Wilson’s adviser Isaiah Bowman noted already when NATO was founded 60 years ago: “… there is no line anywhere in the world that can limit the United States’ area of interest, since there is no line that can prevent that which is distant from becoming the closest threat.” Today’s threats know no borders, and we in Estonia have also perceived that our security does not begin at our national, or even at NATO’s, borders, but rather much further afield.

We now know this from experience. Not only by participating in the fight against terrorism, but also because of the cyber attacks that have endured. This is why Estonia’s troops are active in the world’s crisis hotbeds and why Estonia has taken it upon itself to make the world aware of cyber threats, including the elaboration of the appropriate international and national legislation.

The United Nations Disarmament and International Security Committee group of experts, where Estonia is also represented, commenced its activities last year. Last March, the European Commission authorised the launch of the initiative for the defence of critical infrastructure, and already a month later a conference devoted to this matter was held in Tallinn. The next step on the agenda is to conduct an appropriate training exercise within the European Union.

Within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, our attention in the near future will be focused upon effective participation in the ISAF mission (International Security Assistance Force) in Afghanistan, as well as upon the formulation of the Strategic Concept and preparing for the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Tallinn this April. This confirms that NATO is visible in Estonia and in the Baltic States and that our security is better ensured than ever before.

Contributing to the formulation of NATO’s Strategic Concept has given us an opportunity to participate, for the first time, in the shaping of the Alliance’s fundamental strategy. Estonia’s objective is that both the formulation process and the final product itself will strengthen the Alliance and its transatlantic unity. One essential component of this is the open relationship and unity among the European allies. Another is taking into consideration the concerns and uncertainties of other states, including in the case of economic transactions that may seem to be advantageous at first but are in reality accompanied by security implications.

For more than 60 years, NATO has firmly stood on two pillars -- collective defence, which has been stipulated in the Charter’s Article V, and credible deterrence. These pillars must remain. And in this matter the allies share the same view.

The backbone of the Concept must consist of NATO’s visibility, credibility, and the clear expression of its capabilities. It is also necessary to achieve synergy between the collective defence capability on the one hand and capabilities in out-of-area operations on the other hand. We must devote just as much attention to dealing with both conventional and new security risks such as cyber defence and energy security. We expect substantial discussions concerning the Concept here in Tallinn.

In addition to renewing the Strategic Concept, it is important to continue NATO’s open door policy.

Last spring, the Alliance was strengthened by the accession of two new allies -- Albania and Croatia -- and at the end of the year Montenegro began to implement its Membership Action Plan (MAP). We hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina will receive its Action Plan already this spring here in Tallinn. We also support Macedonia’s imminent accession, as well as Georgia’s and Ukraine’s endeavours to integrate with NATO. It must be noted that the pledge made to Ukraine and Georgia in 2008 that they would also be able to join the Alliance is still in effect.

Respected Riigikogu!

Although Estonia has so far been left untouched by direct terror attacks, the increasing surge of extremism in the world is very deeply affecting our sense of security and solidarity. The activities of our own Defence Forces personnel in hotbeds of crises, especially in Afghanistan, have the same effect.

The size of the Estonian contingent serving in the NATO-led ISAF-mission (International Security Assistance Force) remains at 150-165 troops with most of them based in Southern Afghanistan’s Helmand Province. Although the direct mission of the Estonian troops is to ensure the security of Helmand Province, their contribution also helps in the fight against international terrorism being fought by Pakistan and the other countries in the region. Likewise, it helps to prevent the spread of drugs and the crime connected with them.

Within the process of stabilising Afghanistan, three equally essential key concepts must be kept in mind: an increase of Afghan ownership; reinforced military-civilian cooperation including NATO - EU strategic cooperation; and the intensified fight against corruption.

An essential step regarding the increased responsibility of the Afghans was the agreement reached at the international Afghanistan conference at the end of January to launch the process of gradually handing over the security responsibilities to the local authorities. Estonia is ready to contribute to the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund that is being established for this very purpose.

Estonia will stay in Afghanistan for as long as needed, but we will withdraw our troops as soon as possible. We acknowledge the ISAF’s new Afghan strategy, as well as the contribution of additional troops by our allies. I agree with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen that “the 113 000 NATO soldiers fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan are paying as high a price as the Afghan people, but we know that the price for leaving too early could be even higher.”

Estonia’s military and civilian contribution in Afghanistan has increased step-by-step. This year, there is a plan to reinforce the Estonian contingent with, among other things, a Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices team (C-IED). Likewise, we will increase our civilian support by reinforcing our contribution to the EU Police Mission (EUPOL), as well as by continuing our ongoing development cooperation projects.

Cooperation in Afghanistan is, and will continue to be, one of the central themes of Estonia-United States bilateral relations. Both civilian and military cooperation will increase during this year -- for instance, plans are being made to launch joint projects with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Our continually excellent and tight partnership with the United States is demonstrated by the numerous bilateral visits and meetings with representatives of the new U.S. administration during the last year. Among those is President Ilves’s visit to the White House as one of the first European heads of state to meet President Barack Obama during his first year in office.

Concerning transatlantic relations as a whole, noticeable progress has been made in the course of the last year, for example in the fields of energy and development cooperation. We regard all the developments in relations between the European Union and the United States to be essential, including cooperation in supporting Eastern Partners, and overcoming the economic crisis.

In the course of the previous year, discussions concerning European security architecture gained momentum. Estonia is convinced that in dealing with today’s security threats there is no need for new agreements, but rather for enhanced political will. Instead of inventing the wheel, we must make more effective use of existing security measures and adhere to international commitments. This applies to both emerging as well as conventional threats.

The fact that we still have to take conventional threats into consideration, even at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, is demonstrated, for instance, by Russia’s large-scale manoeuvres Ladoga and Zapad, which were held last year in our immediate vicinity, not to even mention the August conflict of 2008.

Against the background of today’s security environment it is clear that the threats and challenges that the European Union is confronted with demand the strengthening of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). This is where Estonia has a moral obligation to make its contribution. Therefore we are participating in the EU’s civil missions in Georgia, Afghanistan, and the Western Balkans.

We support the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia. In the interests of ensuring the stability of the region we feel it is essential to re-establish the UN and OSCE missions as soon as possible, as well as to guarantee the unimpeded access of international monitoring missions and aid organisations to all Georgian regions. This would help to improve the humanitarian situation, including the safe return home of internally displaced persons.

Our non-recognition policy towards the separatist regions of Georgia is unchanging as is our repeated call to Russia to adhere to the cease-fire agreement.

As already stated, Europe’s security structure is based upon a firm foundation, but changes in the surrounding environment require new threat assessments to be made. We are addressing these within the framework of updating both the NATO Strategic Concept and Estonia’s National Security Concept. At this point, I’ll move on to another matter, but discussions concerning security issues will continue in the very near future, when the Riigikogu will start dealing with Estonia’s updated National Security Concept.

Honourable Riigikogu!

As the acclaimed Estonian writer Friedebert Tuglas noted three quarters of a century ago: “… even now we are reinforcing our national-European culture and filling in the gaps.” By today, Estonia has been a member of the European Union for almost six years. We have learned a lot, and others have been able to learn from us. Among other things, our accession experience has proven to be useful for others integrating with the EU. Estonia’s opportunities to pass on our transition experience will increase even more when the European Commission completes the overview of the Member States’ transition experiences, The Transition Compendium, in the compiling of which Estonia actively participated.

On the basis of the short training courses that have been provided by the Estonian School of Diplomacy for years already, there are plans to expand the training programme meant for our Eastern Partners. The first full-scale training seminar will already take place this April. In the longer perspective, we are prepared to establish an Eastern Partnership training centre here in Tallinn similar to the Mediterranean Academy in Malta.

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has very accurately said that in the south we have European neighbours, but in the east we have our neighbours in Europe. This thought encompasses the realities of today’s Europe, which have motivated Estonia to pursue an ambitious Neighbourhood Policy. We are a principled, consistent, and strong yet demanding supporter of our Eastern Partners. Demanding because the reforms necessary for the EU integration must be implemented by the Eastern Partners themselves.

We support our Eastern neighbours through contributing to the Neighbourhood Investment Facility Trust Fund. We also continue with bilateral development cooperation projects in our priority partner countries - Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova, as well as in Belarus and Armenia.

In our view, it is essential to bring relations between the European Union and its Eastern Partners to the next level. Here we especially have in mind the concluding of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTA), the ultimate objective being a common free trade area.

Secondly, we support the expansion of visa-free travel. Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia have already unilaterally dropped all visa obligations for EU citizens. We support the continuation of the visa dialogue with Ukraine, and the initiation of one with Moldova, as well as the speedy concluding of visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Georgia. We will do our best to reach a consensus on the association agreement negotiations mandates with Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the course of the first half of the year.

Progress in partnership relations, especially in the domains of free trade and visa freedom directly reflect the European Union’s readiness to implement its four freedoms in a wider area. An outstanding example of that is visa-free travel to the EU becoming effective for the citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia at the end of last year. We are ready to take a similar step with Albania as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The expansion of the freedoms is beneficial for all parties as the enlargement process of the EU has convincingly shown us. Therefore it is heartening that the European Union accepted three accession applications last year -- from Albania, Iceland, and Serbia.

Estonia maintains its constant policy of supporting EU enlargement. The enlargement process has to continue on a fair basis, remaining dependent on the progress being made by each individual candidate state.

Turkey’s intensified mediation and conciliation activities in the region are promising, as is the improvement of relations with Armenia, which is creating a premise for the regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We are waiting for Turkey to continue taking steps towards improving relations in its neighbourhood, and towards integration with the EU.

We support the initiation of negotiations with Macedonia as soon as possible. This is because Macedonia has, during the last year, made noteworthy progress, as well as received the most positive evaluation among the candidate states in the Commission’s last progress report.

Croatia’s accession negotiations have reached a decisive stage, but the date of its accession is dependent upon their homework as well as how quickly the ratification process of the accession treaty takes place in the Member States.

Honourable Riigikogu!

On 1 December the Lisbon Treaty became binding. Among other things it expands the role of the national parliaments—for instance, in the formulation of European Union legislation.

As a result of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union’s foreign policy will become more unified, and therefore also more influential globally. This is supported by the establishment of a strong and comprehensive European Union External Action Service. The current objective is to make a decision concerning the creation of an all-encompassing foreign service by this April and to have it fully staffed by the year 2012. This means that in the following months there will be a lot of practical and fast-paced work to do.

Right before Christmas, Estonia presented its official application to become the host country of the EU’s IT Agency for justice and home affairs. In relation to this it is significant to note that in 2003 the European Union declared that for the establishment of new agencies, preference will be given to new Member States. At the same time, France has presented financial arguments for further development of the work in Strasbourg, where the servers are currently located. During Spain’s presidency, we are looking forward to a meaningful discussion that will hopefully lead to the making of a final decision and the launching of the Agency’s work by as early as 2012.

For Estonia increasing the European Union’s competitiveness is high on our agenda, since this is an essential factor in recovering from the economic recession. Therefore we support the formulation of an updated Lisbon Strategy -- European Union 2020 -- so as to make use of the internal markets whole potential. This is also the reason why we have, within the framework of implementing the Baltic Sea Strategy, assumed the leading role in the enhancement of the internal market sphere.

In 2009 Estonia successfully defended its interests in the European Union’s legal system. From among several court cases, it is worth highlighting our case versus the European Commission concerning the sugar fine and the matter of greenhouse gas quotas. With both court cases we have acquired experience which will help us to defend our positions in the European Union’s Court of Justice in the future.

Honourable Riigikogu!

Estonia has worked persistently for several years to accede to the euro zone and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the OECD. Today, both of them are within arm’s reach.

Our efforts to fulfil the Maastricht criteria have been successful -- Estonia is the only one to have achieved this from among the states aspiring to accede to the euro zone next year, and this even under the conditions of the economic recession. The European Commission’s former Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Joaquín Almunia, has appraised Estonia’s chances for acceding to the euro zone as follows: “If all goes well, then in June 2010 we can give the green light for the euro zone’s 17th member.” The same message has been confirmed by the new commissioner, Olli Rehn, as well as by other financial and economic experts.

By today, we have been moving along the OECD road map for almost three years. Estonia is acceding to the OECD not only to be able to learn from others, but also to share its own experience. We hope to sign the OECD accession treaty this spring, and apparently our accession will officially become a reality already in the fall. The grand finale of the accession process will take place in this very assembly hall, since the Riigikogu has the task of ratifying Estonia’s accession treaty.

Respected Members of Parliament!

I quote: “By naming the previous year the year for combating economic difficulties, we cannot, at the same time, call it the year of extraordinary destitution and hardship, because notwithstanding the growth of unemployment due to the economic crisis, the state, local administrations, and other authorities have provided assistance to the best of their ability … We must try to increase our fighting capacity in the world market as much as we have the strength to. Concluding more favourable trade agreements, achieving larger quotas, and acquiring new foreign markets must remain the imperative tasks of our economic foreign policy…”

The above sounds like a striking appeal for overcoming the present economic crisis, but actually, this is an excerpt from the 1932 issue of the annual publication “Eesti kroonika” (The Estonian Chronicle). Nevertheless, the same measures are relevant almost 80 years later. We are protecting the interests of Estonian investors and entrepreneurs: last year we signed investment protection agreements with Belarus, Georgia, Morocco, and Vietnam, as well as agreements for the avoidance of double taxation with South Korea, Serbia, Israel, and the Isle of Man. At the same time, we have intensified our activities in the business diplomacy sphere.

But what separates today’s foreign trade situation from that of the 30s is the fact that the principles of free trade, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the warrantor of them, have evolved so much that the global economy functions on a level where the protectionist moods are mostly eliminated. Nowadays regulation functions on a level that was unknown in the 30s.

It is being recognised more and more that there is no good or bad protectionism, but only one -- protectionism that restricts trade. And even if some measure that restricts free trade may seem to be a short-term victory, it would not be of medium- or long-term benefit for Estonia. Therefore, we belong to the supporters of free trade principles and we act in accordance with them in the European Union and, thereby, also in the WTO.

Estonia’s priority in the European Union is the establishment of trade relations with our neighbours, among them Russia. Vis-à-vis Russia’s protectionist measures, we continue to believe that it is essential that Russia join the WTO.

In the context of Estonian and Russian relations, we are celebrating on 14 February – Valentine’s Day -- a significant anniversary: 90 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. But the relations of neighbouring states do not consist of just diplomatic communications.

Everyone who has walked along the streets of Tallinn’s Old Town this winter or seen the length of the Moscow trains in the Baltic Railway Station has had the opportunity to be persuaded that the term “relations with Russia” encompasses many diverse facets. And the increasing tourist trade and cultural relations are just a part of our developing cooperation.

In 2008 Russian tourists became interested in Estonia again and the number of accommodations increased by half, and last year this trend continued, with a record number of Russians spent the holidays in Estonia. Tourism has, no doubt, been spurred by the launching of the Tallinn-St. Petersburg direct flight last summer. There is also the fact that Estonia has dropped the visa invitation requirement and adopted the objective of issuing long-term multi-entry visas to third country travellers. Due to complicated economic conditions, bilateral trade has declined, but Russia, with its close to 9% share, remains Estonia’s fourth largest trading partner.

In the course of the last year and a half, we have, time and again, had to answer the question: what have we done to protect and promote Estonian economic interests during the economic crisis?

I believe that we have been able to offer more state support for solving the problems of Estonian businesses. Our representations abroad have been very active in this sphere. The number of inquiries our economic affairs diplomats responded to last year increased threefold comparing to 2008. All in all, the Foreign Ministry has helped Estonia to recover from the economic recession with various business diplomacy activities.

We also took various steps to improve internal coordination in promoting foreign trade. For instance, a cooperation agreement was concluded between Enterprise Estonia, the Foreign Ministry, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.

Keeping in mind the global changes that have taken place in the world economy, we have begun to increase our activity and presence in Asia and the Middle East. Last year we opened in Tel Aviv, Estonia’s first representation in that region. In the near future, our Embassy in Cairo will also be inaugurated. In addition to this, we plan to open an Estonian Consulate this upcoming spring in Shanghai during the EXPO and to appoint honorary consuls in South Korea, Hong Kong, and Syria (Damascus).

Asia, as well as the Middle East, will be shifting more and more into our foreign policy focus. In addition to developing bilateral economic and political relations, Estonia’s presence in these parts of the world will enable us to participate more actively in the formulation of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

At the same time, regional cooperation within the circle of the three Baltic states, as well as within the Nordic-Baltic 8, is ever more important for us. One of today’s greatest challenges for Baltic cooperation is the fulfilling of our international commitments in such a manner that it will not put regional security or our international trustworthiness in doubt. Practical cooperation with Latvia and Lithuania is essential not only in connection with foreign and security matters and recovering from the economic recession, but also with the establishment of the Nordic-Baltic energy market and the launching of energy projects that are essential for the entire region, not to mention with the improvement of the health of the Baltic Sea.

The Baltic Sea is one of the most unique, but also one of the most polluted seas in the world. Therefore we regard the implementation of the commitments adopted yesterday at the Baltic Sea Summit in Helsinki as essential. Likewise, Estonia is paying serious attention to the establishment of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, since its border-crossing environmental effects will impact all the countries in the region.

Dear Listerners,

Although our parliament has not had to attract attention by holding underwater sessions, we fully realise that climate change is affecting all of us equally. It is clear that the world needs an ambitious and legally binding protocol with which all nations, except for the poorest, will commit themselves to the fight against climate change.

Estonia has by now fulfilled and even surpassed the Kyoto Protocol objectives for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, we have to keep in mind that in promoting a green economy, including the cleaner production of energy and the use of sustainable energy sources, we still have several generations’ worth of work ahead of us.

In a broader context, we have to avoid the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by just transferring polluting production to third countries, and this also in the case in producing electricity. Therefore it is necessary for the European Union to clearly regulate the import of electricity from outside of the European economic area so as to ensure the equal treatment of all parties in the market and the achievement of the climate objectives.

In addition to the environmental aspects, the diversification of energy sources is also essential from a security point of view, since it would reduce our dependence upon large-scale energy suppliers located outside of the European Union. One measure in this sphere would be the Southern Corridor Concept, which, if implemented, would start supplying the European Union with more gas than ever before from the Caspian region, Central Asia, and the Middle East, independent of current major suppliers.

Energy security is a strategic issue not only for Estonia or the European Union, but also for our Eastern Partners. Estonia’s contribution to the improvement of the environment and the energy security of our Eastern Partners is reflected by the fact that we have joined the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership. Right now the Nordic and Baltic states, the European Commission, the United States, Poland, and Ukraine are participating in this initiative. There are plans for including all Eastern Partners in the future.

Honourable Riigikogu!

Development cooperation is one of those spheres that has, in the course of the last ten years, gradually increased in importance in Estonia’s foreign policy. Estonia which in 1998 implemented the first development cooperation project, has by today become a donor who has supported the development of Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, as well as other countries.

Last year, within the framework of the UN, we headed the humanitarian aid segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the Estonian ambassador to the UN was elected to co-direct the UN development cooperation system reform. Under the direction of the UN under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, we carried out in Tallinn a seminar for Eastern European states, for the purpose of explaining the implementation of the principles of international humanitarian aid.

Likewise, we have an opportunity to prove our trustworthiness in humanitarian aid matters by co-chairing along with Ireland the Good Humanitarian Donorship group. This co-chairing will last until July, and Estonia is the first one of the so-called emerging donors who has been given this responsibility.

The recent earthquake in Haiti and several other natural disasters, have reminded us with their severity that the number of people who need humanitarian aid to survive is constantly increasing. Estonia has thus far aided Haiti with nearly 5.5 million EEK and has dispatched a logistics team and other experts, as well as equipment.

Estonia has begun to increase its general activity within the framework of the UN in matters where we have the opportunity to make a contribution. A gratifying achievement last year was the fact that Estonia was chosen to be a member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

We have begun a campaign to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council in 2012-2015, and we have the objective of becoming a candidate for the UNICEF Council, as well as the Women’s Status Commission.

This reflects the fact that Estonia appreciates the UN’s role in promoting human rights and also contributes to this endeavour. We have done this both as a member of ECOSOC and chairing the UN Development Fund for Women, as well as through different funds and programmes promoting the development, health, and education of women and girls.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari has stressed that perseverance is of primary importance in changing the role of women in conflicts: “Persistence in realising goals and relying on one’s moral compass and basic values are the means for changing the world -- or our immediate neighbourhood -- for the better.”

Thus, we regard the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, which was adopted 10 years ago, and in which the UN for the first time recognised women’s role in ensuring peace and security and turned attention to the disproportionate effects that conflicts have upon women, as being essential.

Respected Members of the Riigikogu!

Estonia’s size and our limited resources restrain the network of our foreign representations. Therefore it is a priority for us to cooperate with other EU Member States in the field of reciprocal visa representation.

In 2009 we concluded visa representation agreements with six countries -- Austria, Spain, Netherlands, Lithuania, France, and Hungary, and in January of this year with Poland. All together, Estonia has concluded visa representation agreements with 11 sates for the issuing of visas to the citizens of 77 countries. On the basis of the aforementioned representation agreements, Estonia represents Netherlands and Finland in Pskov, and soon also in Poland; Finland in Minsk; and Slovenia in Sofia. Negotiations are being held with Sweden, Slovakia, and Switzerland.

Last year, the network of our honorary consuls was increased by as many as 28 individuals representing Estonia’s interests in various parts of the world. So, by today, 125 honorary consuls are dealing with Estonian matters in 59 countries.

Honourable Riigikogu!

This is a year of great expectations and preparations. Participating in the formulation of NATO’s new Strategic Concept and hosting the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, fulfilling the euro zone criteria, joining the OECD, forming the European Union’s external action service, and implementing the Baltic Sea Strategy -- all of this places greater responsibilities and commitments upon our foreign policy, but is also creating noticeably broader opportunities.

Likewise, the opportunities for introducing our culture on a broader basis are increasing in connection with Tallinn becoming the cultural capital of Europe. But introducing Estonia to the world is a task which, like the building of Tallinn, never ends. And may our guiding principle in this endeavour be the motto from the city gate of the Hanseatic city Lübeck: Concordia domi -- foris pax -- harmony at home, peace outside of it!