ERR NEWS – The new ambassador to Washington says the Obama administration is about more than rhetoric in terms of Estonia’s national security. Both Marina Kaljurand and ambassador to NATO Lauri Lepik, fresh from a conference of Estonian foreign service leaders in Tallinn last week, told ETV that the US takes a genuine interest in Estonia. Estonia and the US see security “astonishingly” similarly, say the envoys.
“It’s a field where we see eye to eye on practically everything,” said Kaljurand. “Certainly the EU as a partner is more important for the US than individual European countries,” she said, adding “it’s clear Estonia has found its niche in US policy. We are of interest, we are on the map for them and Estonian achievements are mentioned.” Kaljurand, who was ambassador in Moscow during the cyber attack on Estonia in 2007 which has been blamed on Russia, cited specific bilateral cooperation projects. In a world that appears to be moving away from security and stability with each day, as Kaljurand described it, Estonia could strike Washington as an oasis of calm. NATO Ambassador Lepik said that with “NATO season” starting up again after the summer, ISAF’s transition in Afghanistan from military operations to local control was priority and challenge number one for NATO. “This will definitely mean changes in our defense forces’ mission and role,” he said.
