Kääriäinen is to have meetings with his colleague, the Minister of Defence of Estonia Jaak Jõerüüt, and the chairman of the standing National Defence Committee, Sven Mikser.
The two ministers are going to talk about bilateral defence cooperation and collaboration in the European Union. After joining NATO and EU Estonia has become a NATO contact for Finland and the two countries do co-operation in EU as two friendly equal partners.
In addition to several meetings Kääriäinen is going to visit the Museum of Occupations in Tallinn.
A major related-related joint undertaking of Estonia and Finland in the EU is the formation of the Nordic battle group together with Sweden and Norway, which has changed the content of defence cooperation, the spokesman observed.
Estonia is going to contribute to the battle group a guard platoon, staff officers, logisticians and medics. The platoon will consist of around 30 soldiers. By the government\'s decision, up to 45 troops can be sent to the unit.
Sweden is the lead country of the future Nordic battle group which includes also Finland and Norway. The unit is to be operational by Jan. 1, 2008.
Press Release no 32 Finnish Minister of Defence to Visit Estonia
Finland's Defence Minister Seppo Kääriäinen will pay a one-day visit to Estonia on Tuesday, May3, 2005.