Foreign Minister Paet Met with USA Under Secretary of Defence Flournoy
26.02.2010
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met today with Under Secretary of
Defence for Policy of the United States Michele Flournoy. At the
meeting they discussed co-operation between Estonia and the USA in
Afghanistan and NATO issues in general, touching upon the formulation
of NATO’s new Strategic Concept and NATO’s relations with Russia, as
well as ensuring energy security.
Foreign Minister Paet and Under Secretary of Defence Flournoy
discussed Estonia and the USA’s goals in the formulation of NATO’s
Strategic Concept. Prior to the meeting of NATO foreign ministers
taking place in Tallinn in April, the representatives of Estonia and
the USA confirmed that the basis for NATO’s activities must be Article
5 and NATO’s trustworthiness. “We want for collective defence and
Article 5 to be central to the new Strategic Concept and to demonstrate
NATO’s transparency, trustworthiness and strength,” said Foreign
Minister Paet.
In talking about Estonia and the USA’s common goals in the
Afghanistan mission, Paet confirmed that Estonia would like close
co-operation with the USA in both the military and civil realms.
“Estonia will continue to participate in the International Security
Assistance Force on the level determined by the Riigikogu mandate for
as long as it is necessary, and it will increase its civil contribution
in Afghanistan compared to last year,” said Paet.
Paet and Flournoy agreed it is necessary to increase the Afghans’
participation in operations and in building up the state. “A positive
example of increasing Afghan participation is the operation Moshtarak
currently underway in Afghanistan,” said Paet. “In terms of both the
Afghan security forces and development aid projects, we must ensure
sustainability and improve the co-ordination of the military and civil
measures being taken by the European Union, NATO, the UN, and other
international organisations,” said the Estonian foreign minister.
