ESTONIA: BIOS OF PRESIDENT ILVES?S ADVISORS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TALLINN 001086 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINR PGOV EN SUBJECT: ESTONIA: BIOS OF PRESIDENT ILVES?S ADVISORS ¶1. (SBU) Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has surrounded himself with trusted, experienced advisors he has known for most of his political career. For the most part, these officials gained experience in the early days of re-independence, and comprise some of the most thoughtful and well connected people within the GOE and civil society. Rainer Saks: Chief of Staff -------------- ¶2. (U) Rainer Saks was born in Parnu, Estonia in 1967. He studied history at Tartu University from 1988 to 1993 (though he did not complete his studies). Saks taught history at Parnu Sutevaka Gymnasium for Humanities from 1993 to 1999. From 1999 to 2001 Saks served as an advisor to Ilves when he was Foreign Minister. Since 2001 Saks served as director of the State Chancellery's Coordination Bureau for the National Security Committee, which is responsible for inter-agency coordination on GOE security policy. ¶3. (SBU) Saks is a long time confident of Ilves, and has been an important link between the President and the GOE. During his time in the State Chancellery, where he worked for four different Prime Ministers, Saks showed himself to be an able administrator. He kept a low- profile, avoiding the press and abstaining from any public role. As a result, despite his prominent position in the government, he maintained an appearance of political neutrality, which earned him praise from Ilves and other politicians. His personal interaction skills can be abrasive; however, in private meetings with us, Saks has not been afraid to offer insightful observations and comments on the issues for which he is responsible. Sven Jurgenson: Foreign Affairs Advisor -------------- ¶4. (U) Sven Jurgenson was born in Tallinn, Estonia in ¶1962. He received a BS in data processing from Tallinn Technical University in 1987. Jurgenson was a Junior Research Associate and Lecturer of Data Processing at Tallinn Technical University from 1987 to 1990 and a Senior Associate at the Estonian Institute from 1990 to ¶1991. After Estonia?s re-independence in 1991, Jurgenson left academia and joined the reconstituted MFA. Jurgenson moved up rapidly within the MFA's ranks, and in 2000 he became Estonia's Ambassador to the United States, where he served until 2003. Prior to joining Ilves's cabinet, Jurgenson was the MFA's Undersecretary for Security Policy and International Organizations. ¶5. (SBU) During his time in the MFA Jurgenson was widely considered one of Ilves's "boys". He was also one of the most outspoken and influential voices within the MFA. He is widely viewed within the GOE and the public as one of Estonia's top foreign policy and security experts. Like Ilves, he is a staunch atlanticist and pro-U.S. He is respected for being extremely articulate, as well as direct and well-reasoned. Jurgenson is married with three children. He speaks English, German, French, Finnish, and Russian. His wife is a ranking official in the MFA's legal department. Indrek Kannik: Security and Defense Advisor -------------- ¶6. (U) Indrek Kannik was born in Tallinn in 1965. He graduated from Tartu University with a degree in journalism in 1990. Kannik served as an advisor in the MFA from 1990 to 1992. From 1992 to 1999 Kannik was a Member of Parliament, first representing Pro Patria (a nationalist party) and later a splinter group, Parempoolsed ("better half"). While an MP, Kannik was active in the Finance and Foreign Affairs Committees. In 1994 he briefly left the Parliament and served as Minister of Defense in Mart Laar's government. From 2000 to 2001 he was Head of the Foreign Affairs Desk at Postimees, the Estonian paper of record. From 2001 to 2004 Kannik re-entered government service as Secretary General in the Ministry of Defense and advisor to the Minister, Margus Hanson. In his present position, Kannik will be the principal liaison officer between the President and the various security and defense institutions. ¶7. (SBU) Kannik has an extensive network among Estonia's decision makers through his membership in the Estonian Students' Society (EUS),one of Estonia's oldest patriotic associations. During Soviet occupation (1940 TALLINN 00001086 002 OF 003 to 1988) the EUS was banned and operated in exile. EUS' current membership brings together many influential policy and decision makers across party lines (e.g. Ilves, former prime minister Mart Laar, MFA Secretary General Matti Maasikas, Olari Koppel (see para 8),and Rainer Saks). Kannik speaks English, Russian, and Finnish. Olari Koppel: Advisor -------------- ¶8. (U) Olari Koppel was born in Tartu, Estonia in 1969. He graduated from Tartu University with a degree in journalism. He also spent a year (1993) at Aarhus University, Denmark studying political science. From 1992 to 1999 Koppel worked for several newspapers and magazines, including Postimees and Luup magazine, a social-political current events publication no longer in circulation. Koppel served as a press spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and advisor to SDP MPs from 2000 to 2006. When Ilves was elected to the European Parliament, Koppel served as Ilves's head of his constituency office in Tallinn from 2004 to 2006. ¶9. (SBU) Koppel is not as well known as Ilves's other senior advisors. However, his recent service in Ilves's European Parliamentary office has given him expertise on EU matters. Koppel speaks excellent English as well as Russian and Finnish. Comment: Until now, Koppel was known primarily within the ranks of the Social Democratic party. His appointment is generally seen as being due to his close friendship with Ilves. End Comment.) Toomas Sildam: Public Relations Advisor: -------------- ¶10. (U) Toomas Sildam was born in Tallinn in 1962. Over the last twenty years, Sildam has built a reputation as one of Estonia's leading journalists. His work focused on domestic issues (both political and economic),though he also has significant experience covering Russia. Unlike other journalists in Estonia who routinely move between papers, Sildam's entire journalistic career was at Postimees, where he reached the position of Senior Editor. In 2005 Sildam also produced one of Estonia's top current affairs television shows, "Happy Hour". ¶11. (SBU) Ilves approached Sildam to join his cabinet while Sildam was in Brussels reporting on Ilves's transition from European MP to President. Sildam reportedly turned the job down initially, only accepting after repeated approaches by Ilves. Sildam has an excellent reputation among journalists and politicians as someone who can be trusted. In 2002 Sildam participated in an Embassy organized NATO tour and in 2004 he received a SEED grant which financed his reporting on the Russian elections. Aaro Mottus: Legal Advisor -------------- ¶12. (U) Aaro Mottus was born in Toila, Estonia in 1972. He graduated with a law degree from Tartu University in 1994 and an MA in 1996. He served in various positions in the Parliament's Chancellery, including advisor for the constitutional committee, advisor for the elections' committee, and advisor for the Parliamentary Board from 1993 to 1999. Mottus served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs as an advisor to Minister Juri Mois in 1999 and later Minister Tarmo Loodus in 2000. He was a lecturer in the Public Service Academy as well as an advisor in the Chancellery of the Parliament from 2000 to 2002. Since 2003 Mottus served as head of the management and social information section of the Parliament's Chancellery. Heli Suvi: Domestic Affairs Advisor -------------- ¶13. (U) Suvi was born in Paide, Estonia in 1971. She graduated from the Tartu Teachers' Seminar in 1994 and in 2003 received an MBA in public relations and communication from Tartu University. Suvi initially worked as a school teacher at Purdi Basic School and Paide Co-educational School. In 1998 she joined the Paide City Government as a PR specialist. From 2000 to 2001 she was Deputy Director of Paide Health Care Center and from 2001 to 2006 she served as manager of the Estonian Reform party in Jarva County. In 2005 Suvi was Mayor of Paide. Suvi is ambitious and well connected; she is well known within the Reform party as an activist TALLINN 00001086 003 OF 003 in local politics. In addition to advising Ilves on domestic issues, Suvi also organizes his outreach visits to Estonia's counties. WOS