Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Estonian President Makes 45 Foreign Visits in Three Years

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Estonian President Makes 45 Foreign Visits in Three Years

    Baltic News Service
    November 2, 2004

    ESTONIAN PRESIDENT MAKES 45 FOREIGN VISITS IN THREE YEARS

    TALLINN, Nov 02


    President Arnold Ruutel of Estonia has made 45 foreign visits during
    his term of office since October 2001.

    "The Constitution lays down the president's obligation to represent the
    Republic of Estonia in international relations. After accession to the
    European Union and NATO Estonia is systematically expanding its sphere
    of international relations -- it is connected both with Estonia's
    interests to widen the sphere of bilateral relations as well as the
    need to shape its positions as member country of the European Union and
    NATO in order to have a say in different processes," Eero Raun, public
    affairs adviser of the president's office, said to justify Ruutel's
    frequent trips.

    This fall the president has already made several visits. He is in Japan
    at the moment and will go to Armenia in mid-November, the daily SL
    Ohtuleht reported.

    Raun said Japan was geographically distant but in the global context a
    very important country, and Estonia was hoping to intensify economic
    contacts with it.

    "Armenia is a country Estonia still knows quite well both from a more
    distant past as well as from recent history. As the three Caucasian
    countries come in the EU neighborhood policy context, it is necessary
    for the European Union, apart from the interests of our own bilateral
    relations, that the Baltic countries' earlier relations with and
    experience of those countries do not get rusty."

    "This year visits of different levels and for different reasons have
    taken the president to Cyprus, Macedonia, Spain, Hungary, Iceland,
    Switzerland, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Austria, Greece, Finland, Denmark,
    the United States and Lithuania as well as twice to Latvia. During his
    whole term of office the president has made 45 foreign visits," Raun
    said.

    Raun said that thanks to his health habits and exercise the president
    has never had to be away from work during his present term of office.

    "The president's health doesn't fail him even on long trips. Rest and
    relaxation is connected with constant exercise -- walks, jogging or
    gardening," he added.
Working...
X