Today, on April 22 the Minister of Defence Margus Hanson met with the Swedish Minister of Defence Leni Björklund in order to discuss bilateral co-operation and issues connected with NATO and EU integration. Chief of Defence Vice-Admiral Tarmo Kõuts also participated in the meeting.
The sides declared that continuation of bilateral co-operation would be important from the political as well as the practical side and that in spite of the fact that Estonia would soon be integrating into NATO structures. The key words of bilateral co-operation for the nearest future are resource optimizing and interoperability with NATO.
Hanson thanked Sweden for co-operation and help in the past. He stressed Sweden’s input into the Baltic States’ co-ordinating BALTSEA forum which embraces both, NATO countries as well as countries outside the Allie.
Sweden’s contribution to Estonian defence structures’ development is considerable – training of Estonian Defence Forces personnel, advising in many spheres like personnel optimisation, environment protection in defence related issues etc. One of the remarkable co-operation projects has been donating the technical equipment for the EDF Infantry Battalion.
“We value highly Sweden’s remarkable share in BALTSEA and Baltic co-operation projects,” Hanson said. “Although Estonia soon becomes member of NATO, our mutual co-operation will certainly continue after 2004, the year Estonia is becoming full member of the Allie”.
The delegations of the Defence Ministries discussed crisis management, civil defence issues, co-operation within the EU regarding the ESDP, participation in peace operations, but also fighting against international terrorism.
In the afternoon the Swedish Minister of Defence is visiting the General Staff of the Estonian Defence forces where the Chief of the General Staff of the Defence Forces colonel Alar Laneman will introduce the organizational side of the Staff and make a short tour inside the building.
In the evening Margus Hanson will host the dinner in honour of Ms Leni Björklund who is the first Defence Minister to visit Estonia after the elections of Estonia’s new Government.