“Estonian’s international position is more and more strong”

In 2011 Estonia is going to be part of the Euro zone but right one year before that, the country started trying to raise its head and get more importance in international politics.

This is the reason why we decided to pose some question to the Estonian Foreign Minister, Urmas Paet asking him to explain us and our readers what is the place for Estonia in the international landscape.

Cooperation

Afghanistan and Haiti are two countries where the Estonian aid arrived during this 2010.

In Afghanistan, there are 150 people working only in the Helmand province, where more than 2 million people lives and where they had only 3 medical points 3 years ago

Right now, Estonians have built more than 50 medical points in the zone. Is important to know that, as Urmat Paet said, «Everybody are professionals but they are volunteers, everyone who is there is because they decide to go».

The group in Helmand province is specialized in this kind of mission. «We have in Estonia one group of medical experts that have preparation to work in difficult situations and in regions all around the world». People in this group are rotating every year and, right now, the group in Helmand province is leaded by for Priit Paju.

Afghanistan, as Paet explained us, is a priority country of Estonian development cooperation, as Ukraine, Moldavia and Georgia, because those countries need help to build up democratic institutions.

Afghanistan is among these four because the country needs to raise from its recent history and build properly some key sectors as healthcare and security. The presence of the United States of America is important in the zone and the arrival of General Petraeus could change some things because, as Paet said, «every person is different and maybe tactically something could change. Is logical and natural, but we cannot know it right now».
Paet also thinks that the military component is not going to change.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry is also trying to modernize the vote in the Afghan Parliament and, in this sense, some diplomats from Afghanistan came to Estonia to «see how things are going on here and how Europe is working», Paet said.

He pointed out that the experience was really successful and they want to continue with it. Paet also stressed that «diplomats were not the only ones here, we also had some medical doctors from Helmand province to learn how medical care works in here».

But Afghanistan is not the only country where Estonia is working. After the earthquake in Haiti, «Our reaction was very quick», Paet said.

Nowadays, he explained us, there are still people working on the ground but the most of the population is still leaving in tents and they cannot go into a normal life. He also pointed out that «Unfortunately, only four countries are fulfillment their promises about financial aid in Haiti: Estonia, Brazil, Australia and Norway. I hope the other countries fulfill their promises».

NATO AND ESTONIA

«We are an active member», Paet stressed, and the meeting of the Ministers that took place in Estonia last April was very positive for the country because in the agenda there were topics with large impact.

Paet said that, with the Euro, Estonia «is going to be among those European countries better integrated in a really short time»

To join the European Union and to join the NATO have been two important facts for Estonia to get relevance in Europe because «all the decisions have to be agreements, and Estonia is also a vote», Paet explained.
«The international position is more and more strong», Paet added.

RUSSIA AND ESTONIA

As good neighbors «there are not problems with Russia», Paet pointed. The Minister said that nowadays the relation with Russia is not a big issue for the Estonian population but it is also «depends on the person».