The Dutch Minister of Defence Henk Kamp approved Estonia’s quick development and the country’s choice to join the two most important organizations, NATO and EU. Kamp said at the Press Conference in MoD today that this choice was clever and the only reasonable one for a small country like Estonia. He also praised Estonia for participating in international Peace operations into which the Netherlands has also made a relevant input.
The Netherlands as the next presiding country of the European Union aims to get acquainted with new members of the organization and brief Estonia on the Dutch presidency\'s plans concerning European security and defence policies and to get acquainted with the views of Estonia as the joining member of the EU.
Kamp stressed at the meeting the importance of Estonia’s experience with Russia which might be helpful in EU-Russian relations in the future.
Kamp also stressed the urgent and final NATO’s solution concerning Air policing in the Baltic States and assured that in case of final decisions the Netherlands would be willing to participate with carriers. This means that the Dutch air force might be patrolling the Baltic airspace in rotation.
The Netherlands will also continue with supporting the Baltic project BALTFEDCOL and the Baltic Naval Squadron.
By way of conclusion the Ministers asseted that the Netherlands and Estonia, two tiny countries have several similar standpoints concerning the further developments of EU and NATO. This would serve as solid cornerstones for good relations between the countries during the forthcoming EU presidency of the Netherlands.