Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TALLINN901
2006-10-03 11:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tallinn
Cable title:  

CODEL FRIST VISITS ESTONIA

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR MOPS CVIS IZ AF EN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0901/01 2761116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031116Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9083
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0021
RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0044
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0016
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0017
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 0155
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2437
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0004
UNCLAS TALLINN 000901 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR H, BARBARA FLECK
EUR/NB for Kaye Lee

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS CVIS IZ AF EN
SUBJECT: CODEL FRIST VISITS ESTONIA

REF: TALLINN 883

UNCLAS TALLINN 000901

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR H, BARBARA FLECK
EUR/NB for Kaye Lee

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS CVIS IZ AF EN
SUBJECT: CODEL FRIST VISITS ESTONIA

REF: TALLINN 883


1. (U) SUMMARY: In a brief meeting with Estonian Foreign
Minister Urmas Paet and Defense Minister Jurgen Ligi in
Tallinn on October 1, a Congressional delegation composed
of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Senator Mel
Martinez (R-FL) thanked the GOE for Estonia's strong
support in Iraq and Afghanistan. FM Paet expressed concern
about the potential for civil war in Iraq and noted the
need for a clear counter-narcotics strategy and improved
infrastructure in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where
Estonian troops are embedded with British forces. Other
topics covered in the meeting included Estonia's desire to
participate in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and the
Estonian perspective on heightened tension between Georgia
and Russia. END SUMMARY

--------------
Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia
--------------


2. (U) Senators Frist and Martinez expressed their
admiration for Estonia's rapid economic and democratic
transformation over the 15 years since re-independence.
They also thanked the GOE for Estonia's strong support both
in Iraq and Afghanistan, where its troop commitment is set
to increase from 80 to 120 by the end of this year. FM Paet
said that he thought Iraq was improving step by step, but
too slowly. Paet mentioned that he had met with the
Jordanian foreign minister last week who noted modest
improvement in the situation on the ground in Iraq, but
thought the possibility of civil war was still the primary
concern. On Afghanistan, Paet highlighted the need for a
new and clearer counter-narcotics strategy, and improved
infrastructure in Helmand province, where Estonian troops
are embedded with British forces. Paet also told the
delegation that he had visited Bosnia in June, as Estonia
has a peacekeeping mission there. Paet said he believes
the situation there is more or less stable, but that
clearly there is "still fire under the ashes".


3. (U) Defense Minister Ligi noted that the GOE's target
is to raise defense spending to 2 percent of GDP, in

accordance with Estonia's NATO commitments. He noted,
however, that this is something for which "no one ever
sends thank you letters". He said that most of the
increase is going for basic personnel, equipment, and
funding of the Estonia's four military missions overseas
(Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Kosovo).


4. (U) Ambassador Wos stressed the importance of USG and
GOE joint intelligence and law enforcement training, as
well as defense cooperation. Defense Minister Ligi asked
Ambassador Wos what impact U.S. midterm Congressional
elections might have on the administration's course in
Iraq. All sides agreed that the elections would not affect
the basic course of U.S. strategy in Iraq.

--------------
Estonia and Visa Waiver
--------------


5. (SBU) FM Paet told the delegation that Estonia's
exclusion from visa-waiver status is the only real sore
point in an otherwise excellent bilateral relationship, and
made a case for eliminating the visa requirement for
Estonians. First, the GOE is increasing its troop
commitment in Afghanistan, and has fought alongside the
U.S. in Iraq since 2003. The GOE recently approved a plan
to extend its military mandate in Iraq as soon as a new UN
mandate is approved. (Note: This plan must be approved by
the Parliament. End note.) Second, Estonia's economic
situation has improved significantly, making Estonians
better candidates for U.S. visas. Opportunities for
employment elsewhere in the EU have increased, unemployment
is low and Estonia's visa refusal rates to the U.S. have
fallen consistently the last several years. Third, Canada
recently announced visa-free travel for Estonians to that
country. Paet said that an announcement on Estonia's
admission to the VWP by President Bush during his visit to
Tallinn in November would have great emotional impact in
Estonia. Additionally, Paet raised the issue of visas and
security, questioning whether there is a greater terror
threat from Estonia or from a current VWP country like the
United Kingdom.

--------------
Georgia
--------------


6. (SBU) Senator Martinez mentioned his recent travel to
Ossetia and asked FM Paet's opinion on the standoff between
Georgia and Russia. Paet said that while he felt Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili was overly aggressive, the
Georgian defense minister was even more so. At the same
time, Paet also noted that Russia was not fulfilling the
terms of its Istanbul Commitments with regard to troop
withdrawal and respect for the territorial integrity of
Georgia. He added that he believes Russia often uses
Georgia as a tool to exert pressure elsewhere in the
region, including on Moldova and Ukraine. Defense Minister
Ligi noted that Russian news agencies are portraying the
situation as if Russia itself is under attack. He thought
that Secretary Rumsfeld's recent statement on Georgia was
appropriately limited, but hoped that NATO will address the
issue at the Riga Summit in November.


7. (SBU) Codel Frist did not have the opportunity to clear
this cable before their departure from Tallinn.

WOS