Today, on October 30 the Estonian Minister of Defence Sven Mikser and the Danish Chief of Defence General Hans Helsǿ met in Tallinn in order to discuss Estonian-Danish defence co-operation and Estonia’s integration into NATO.
In the bilateral defence co-operation priority is given to establishing and developing the Estonian infantry brigade. According to General Helsǿ Denmark is ready to give unreserved assistance in that issue.
From other co-operation projects special mention should be made of participation in international operations, Danish assistance to Estonia in defence planning and the development of Host Nation Support capabilities at Ämari Air Force Base, but also Baltic military co-operation projects BALTDEFCOL, BALTBAT, BALTRON and BALTNET. Both sides expressed satisfaction on the rapid and substantial development of the projects.
General Helsǿ set the high standard of the Estonian peacekeepers as an example of a well-accomplished co-operation. The professionalism of Estonian peacekeepers does not differ from that of the peacekeepers of other countries, he said. In respect of NATO enlargement Mikser and Helsǿ discussed via which staffs of the Alliance would Estonia’s integration into the military structures of NATO be most efficient.
Mikser thanked Denmark for the continuous support both, in bilateral as well as in the framework of Baltic projects. He also expressed gratitude for Denmark’s firm support to Estonia’s aspirations towards NATO.