Estonian Review 7 - 13 January 2011

FOREIGN MINISTER PAET VISITS AFGHANISTAN
FOREIGN NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS

FOREIGN MINISTER PAET VISITS AFGHANISTAN

Everything Possible Must Be Done So That Afghanistan Can Accept Responsibility for Security in 2014

9 January - At his meeting in Kabul with Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Zalmai Rassoul, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that in the coming years Estonia will focus on aiding Afghanistan in the security, health care, and education sectors, with the ultimate goal of Afghanistan being able to accept responsibility for the development of its nation in the year 2014. “Estonia’s priority is to continue contributing to both military as well as civil and development co-operation in Afghanistan. In addition to our continuing contribution to the security sector, Afghanistan is one of our most important partners in bilateral development co-operation for the next five years, in accordance with our new action plan for development co-operation and humanitarian aid,” said Paet. “Over 400 000 euros of the Foreign Ministry’s budget for development co-operation and humanitarian aid were donated to various activities in Afghanistan in 2010, and we plan to donate an equivalent amount in 2011,” he added.
Foreign Minister Paet emphasised that one of Estonia’s main goals in contributing to the reconstruction of Afghanistan is expanding the authority of the central government and increasing the capabilities of the local governments. “Our goal in helping Afghanistan is for the nation to be able to manage itself and not pose a threat to other nations,” Paet added.
Paet also stated at the meeting that Estonia will continue to co-ordinate the development of the health care sector in Helmand. “We are also increasing our contribution in the education sector,” he said.
The foreign minister and his colleague also talked about the successful training project for Afghan diplomats held in Tallinn last year. “We are prepared to continue such training projects this year,” Paet added.
Afghan Foreign Minister Rassoul stated that Afghan society is very grateful for Estonia’s aid. “Estonia’s stance is a strong base for the very strong and long-term co-operation and friendship between our societies,” Rassoul added.

Estonia Aims to Reduce Mortality of Women and Children in Afghanistan

10 January - At his meeting with Governor of Helmand Province Gulab Mangal in the capital of Helmand Lashkar Gah, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that Estonia would like to contribute first and foremost to building up the health care and education sectors in Helmand. “The goal is for as many women and children as possible to get better medical care and education than previously,” stated Paet. “Mortality in childbirth is too high in Afghanistan; too many children never see their first birthday, and far too many die of diseases that can easily be cured,” he added.
Estonia will continue to co-ordinate the development of the health care sector in Helmand. “We plan to expand the first aid trainings we have already done to other target groups and into other regions,” said Paet. “We are also proposing to bring together medical service pertaining to women in one complex—birth centre, midwife school, and emergency services; a new idea is an Estonian project in 2011 to establish a medical information hotline,” added Foreign Minister Paet.
At the meeting, Foreign Minister Paet talked about supplementary training for health care workers. “In 2011 we will support the school for nurses and midwives in Helmand Province with teaching materials and carry out training for medical workers on-site,” noted Paet.
Foreign Minister Paet also emphasised that it is essential that at some point the authorities of Helmand would accept the responsibility for taking care of health care issues. “We support the greater role of the central government in offering national health care services on a provincial level,” he said.

Ties Between Estonian-Afghan Friendship Schools Are Important to Estonia

11 January - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet visited Kabul University and the Murad Khane School in Kabul and confirmed that supporting education and creating ties between friendship schools is one of the most important goals of Estonia’s activities in Afghanistan.
“We have supported the construction of a new building for the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University with more than 30 000 euros and given an equivalent sum to improve the national archives and mobile library of Afghanistan,” said the foreign minister. “In 2011 we plan to support the publication of new books,” Paet added.
Paet emphasised the fact that one of Kabul University’s roles is to research and introduce the history of Afghanistan.
While visiting the construction site of the building for the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University, Foreign Minister Paet confirmed that Estonia’s support will include the installation of the new centre’s IT systems in 2011.
Foreign Minister Paet also expressed his satisfaction over the continuation of 10 friendship school projects between Estonian and Afghan schools.

FOREIGN NEWS

The Banker Chooses Ligi as European Finance Minister of the Year

7 January (BNS) - The Banker, a magazine of the Financial Times group, has awarded the title of Finance Minister of the Year, Europe to Estonian Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi.
The bankers and economists surveyed by the magazine for the awarding of this year's titles highlighted Ligi's ability to keep fiscal deficit under control under the conditions of economic decline, the Estonian Ministry of Finance said.
The respondents said this was a rare achievement and especially important for Estonia, helping the country to meet the criteria for euro zone entry and paving the way for restoration of economic growth. In the words of the magazine the title demonstrates markets' trust in the Estonian minister.
Ligi in his remarks described as remarkable that Estonian finance won such high international recognition for the second time in a short period of time and that among the reasons not the switch to the new currency as the outer side of the matter, but the contents of the economy and finance were brought out.
In October last year Emerging Markets, a magazine of the Euromoney group, awarded Ligi the title of Finance Minister of the Year for Emerging Europe 2010.

Sweden to Represent Estonia for the Issuing of Visas in South Africa, Cuba

7 January - Starting on 6 January the Swedish embassies in the Republic of South Africa and Cuba will represent Estonia for the issuing of Schengen visas.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the goal of concluding representation agreements is to facilitate travel to Estonia. “This makes applying for a visa easier for travellers who live in countries where Estonia does not have a representation. We would like for it to be possible to apply for a visa for travelling to Estonia in as many of the world’s countries as possible,” said Foreign Minister Paet.
In countries where Estonia does not have a foreign representation, Estonia can be represented for the issuing of visas by another country that belongs to the common European Union visa area. Applications for short-term visas, transit visas, and airport transit visas can be submitted to the representations of countries representing Estonia. The agreement only covers the issuing of visas and does not include other consular services.
Estonia is currently being represented in 82 countries. Estonia has concluded representation agreements for the issuing of Schengen visas with Austria, Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, France, Germany, Finland, Slovenia, Denmark, Hungary, Sweden and Switzerland.

Estonian Ambassador to Swiss Confederation Presents Credentials

12 January - Yesterday Estonian Ambassador Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi presented her credentials to President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline Calmy-Rey. The ambassador resides in Tallinn.
In the meeting that followed the presenting of credentials, Ambassador Saarsalu-Layachi and President Calmy-Rey discussed Estonia-Switzerland bilateral relations. Estonian Ambassador Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi stated that relations between the nations have seen an upward surge and that they are very good and close. “Starting this year, Switzerland is representing Estonia for the issuing of visas on the territory of Palestine in Ramallah,” said the ambassador, giving an example of consular co-operation between Switzerland and Estonia. “Switzerland is also interested in co-operation with Estonia in the cyber defence sector,” added Saarsalu-Layachi. During the meeting the ambassador gave the Swiss president an overview of Estonia’s economic situation and introduced our transition to the euro.
Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi was born in 1967 in Tallinn. She has worked in Estonia’s foreign service since 1991. From 1996-1999 she served as a counsellor at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the EU and from 1999-2003 she was the director general of the Foreign Ministry’s European integration department. From 2003-2009 Saarsalu-Layachi was the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Slovakia, and the Swiss Confederation. Starting in 2009 Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi is the director general of the personnel department. Ambassador Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi speaks German, French, English and Russian.

DOMESTIC NEWS

Freedom House Again Ranks Estonia Among Countries with Highest Freedom Score

13 January (BNS) - The New York-based Freedom House once again ranked Estonia among free countries in its fresh annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, Freedom in the World 2011.
Just like last year, Estonia's political rights score and civil liberties score were both 1. The same scores were given to most members of the European Union.
Latvia meanwhile received two points for political rights and one for civil liberties. Lithuania's scores were the same as Estonia's.
Freedom House gave countries from one to seven points in these two categories, with the countries seen as offering the greatest freedoms to their residents getting one point.
Russia's political rights score was 6 and civil liberties score 5, putting it in the Not Free category.
The number of countries ranked in the 2010 survey was 194 and of them 89 countries were designated as Free, representing 46% of the world population.
The number of Partly Free countries was 58, representing 20% of global population, while the number of Not Free countries was 47, comprising 34% of the world's total population.
According to Freedom House the level of democracy suffered a setback last year in 25 countries worldwide, including in three EU member states -- Latvia, France and Hungary.

DEFENCE NEWS

Foreign Minister Paet Recognised Estonian Soldiers in Southern Afghanistan

10 January - Foreign Minister Paet met in Afghanistan with the Estonian infantry company at their patrol base in Wahid and the national support element at the Camp Bastion military base. Foreign Minister Paet thanked the Estonian soldiers for their work in improving the security situation in Afghanistan. “By participating in the Afghanistan mission, Estonian soldiers are also making an essential contribution to Estonia’s security and well-being,” said Foreign Minister Paet. The foreign minister presented the soldiers with commemorative kroon coins.
Paet stated that soldiers of the Estonian Defence Forces have earned wide-spread international recognition.
At his meeting with Urmas Paet, Commander of the ISAF Southwest Regional Command Major General Richard Mills said that Estonian Defence Forces members have made a serious contribution to improving the security situation in Helmand Province. “Estonia’s contribution is exemplary,” he added.
At his meeting with the leaders of the Provincial Reconstruction Team stationed in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet confirmed that Estonia will continue making its military contribution in Helmand alongside British units and is also contributing to police training. “To this end, we have sent four police officers to the police training centre in Afghanistan,” said Foreign Minister Paet.
In talking about the future outlook, Foreign Minister Paet emphasised that in addition to creating favourable security conditions for transferring greater responsibility for security to Afghanistan, the transition process must also be supported by developments in good governing standards and reconstruction. “We feel it is essential that the regional evaluations to be carried out during the transfer of security responsibilities must assess the situation in the regions honestly and fairly,” said Paet.

NATO Allies Must Make Afghanistan Decisions Together

11 January - At his meeting with leader of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General David Petraeus in Kabul, Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that Estonia feels it is essential to follow the principle that the NATO nations decided together to start the mission in Afghanistan, and the decision to leave must be made together as well. “The nations that are responsible for areas in which responsibility will be transferred to the Afghans earlier shouldn’t necessarily leave, but rather continue contributing in other regions or increase their contribution to training,” said Paet.
Foreign Minister Paet recognised General Petraeus for the success of the international forces in hindering the activities of the Taliban in the central part of Helmand. “The nearly 30 000 additional US soldiers brought to Helmand and Kandahar have allowed us to focus more than before on protecting the citizens and carrying out large-scale operations in Helmand,” said Foreign Minister Paet.
General Petraeus thanked Estonia for making a contribution in an intense security situation. “Taking into account the size of Estonia’s population, Estonia is one of our most significant partners,” he added.
At his meeting with chief of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Staffan de Mistura, Foreign Minister Paet focused on the hope that civil and development aspects would not be placed on the back burner during the process of transferring responsibility for security. “Nations would prefer to address simpler problems, so certain sectors have a disproportionate amount of support and this in turn facilitates corruption. At the same time, some sectors are underfunded,” Paet noted at the meeting. “It is of the utmost importance to focus on building up the capabilities of Afghanistan’s local governments,” he added.

ECONOMIC NEWS

Skeleton Technologies Receives US Patent for Supercapacitator Material

7 January (BNS) - A new generation energy-storing material developed by researchers at the Estonian company Skeleton Technologies has received a patent in the United States. The technology could potentially be used by a range of sectors from the automotive industry to defence contracting, Skeleton Technologies said. The registration of the US patent is a step closer for Estonian scientists to the global market, the company added.
The new supercapacitors, which are made of a new non-porous carbide-derived carbon and boast several times greater power density and energy density than commercially available ones, have undergone the first successful trials with major industrial corporations.
The inventors of the patented material are Skeleton Technologies researchers Jaan Leis, Mati Arulepp, Marko Latt and Helle Kuura.
"A problem experienced today with capacitors is the low energy densities and power densities. The mass-produced supercapacitors are too big and heavy for many uses, and also expensive due to high material cost," said Leis.
Taavi Madiberk, member of the management board of Skeleton Technologies, described the US patent as a big step forward for our innovative supercapacitor market.
Several large corporations such as General Motors have shown intense interest in prototypes of the supercapacitors using the patented material, the company said. In the automotive industry supercapacitors are used increasingly for accumulating braking energy and releasing it during acceleration as a measure to save fuel.
The main areas of use of the new material are supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries. In collaboration with the European Space Agency Skeleton Technologies is developing supercapacitors that could be used as backup power sources in the space.
Founded in 2009, Skeleton Technologies is based in the Tartu science park.

Turnover of Estonia’s Viru Centre Nearly 107 Mln EUR in 2010

10 January (BNS) - The turnover of the stores in Tallinn's Viru Centre totalled 106.9 million euros in 2010. According to earlier information the turnover of the shopping centre was 108.6 euros in 2009.
The number of visitors grew last year by 2% to 10.57 million visitors and the number of purchases made was 8.931 million, board member of the Viru Centre Ants Vasar said.
In Q4 2010 the turnover of the Viru Centre grew 6.1% compared with the same period last year, amounting to about 30.2 million euros. There was a growth trend both in the number of visitors as well as in purchases which grew by 8.2 and 3% in the last quarter of the year. In Q2 the centre had 2.81 million visitors who made a total of 2.357 million purchases.
"We are satisfied with the sales during Christmas and at the turn of the year. The Q4 results were indisputably the best in December," Vasar said. He said that the last year of the month brought up the turnover of the Viru Centre and the number of visitors by more than 10%. Purchases of presents of the holiday season and the active use of the kroon before the euros contributed to it.
"The biggest number of purchases and the highest turnover was on 23 December, when the turnover totalled 589 072 euros and the number of purchases made during the day was 37 512," Vasar said.
He said that similar to November, the sale of footwear continued to be as brisk in December as it was in November. "The growth in the footwear segment was nearly 50% in November and 30% in December."
He added that that at the end of the year sales of jewellery and gold stores doubled. He said this was largely due to the replacement of the kroon by the euro, but also a certain growth in consumer confidence. Vasar forecast that the visitor numbers during the first quarter would be more or less at the same level with those of the previous year.
"As the euro is still unfamiliar and the price comparison complicated, a certain slowdown growth could be expected from Q1," he said. "At the same time, considering the considerably low basis of comparison with the results of last year, I risk forecast up to 3% growth in the first half of 2011. So a certain growth in retail sale figures is to be expected, even despite the certain restraint due to the switch to the euro."

Cargo Carriage By Rails Grows 17% in 2010

12 January (BNS) - Last year a total of 29.63 million tons of freight was carried on tracks of Estonia's state-owned railway company Eesti Raudtee which marks a year-on-year increase of 16.9%.
Some 2.83 million tons of the total fell into December, up by 15.7% in annual comparison, Eesti Raudtee said.
The overall rail freight volume showed a year-on-year growth of 12%, totalling 6.26 billion net ton kilometers.
Oil and oil products accounted for nearly 69% or 20.36 million tons of the freight turnover, increasing by 15.9% compared to the previous year. Domestic oil shale shipments doubled in annual comparison, reaching 3.69 million tons. Rail haulage of fertilizers also showed robust growth, amounting to 2.24 million tons.
A decline of 34%, to 1.33 million tons, occurred in the carriage of coal. Decreases were also recorded in bulk goods, which contracted by 33% in annual comparison to 0.57 million tons, and in chemical goods, which dropped more than 13% to 0.4 million tons.
Transit shipments accounted for 80.5% of the rail freight volume in 2010, growing by 13.7% from the previous year.
Domestic shipments amounted to 4.25 million tons, up by more than 50% against 2009. Export shipments increased by 8.7% to 0.61 million tons. In import shipments the freight volume was 0.92 million tons, down by 7% year-on-year.
Looking at cross-border haulage, 23.58 million tons of goods or 9.6% more than a year earlier was transported into Estonia by rail last year. Outward-bound rail freight totalled 1.81 million tons, representing a year-on-year increase of 73%.
Container carriage by rail totalled 22 394 TEU, nearly 40% more than in 2009. Almost half the containers went to Russia with shipments to that country growing by 16%.

Estonian Air to Launch Flights from Tallinn, Vilnius to Berlin

13 January (BNS) - The national carrier Estonian Air will in May launch the Tallinn-Berlin and Vilnius-Berlin routes.
The routes represent two separate services, spokespeople for the airline said.
During last summer Estonian Air flew on the Tallinn-Berlin-Hamburg route.

CULTURAL NEWS

KGB Museum to Open in Tallinn’s Viru Hotel

13 January (BNS) - A museum was scheduled to open on the top floor of the Viru Hotel in Tallinn on Thursday, displaying an exhibit of the surveillance means and routines used by the Soviet secret service to keep an eye on the activities of foreign tourists.
Visitors can access the museum from the hotel's foyer 25 people at a time and there will be guided tours only, said the spokesman for Sokos Hotel Viru, Peep Ehasalu.
In the words of Anu Soosaar, managing director of the hotel, the idea of opening a museum had been pondered over for more than ten years due to visitors' extreme curiosity about the activities of the KGB in the hotel and the room on the 23rd floor that the KGB used as its base on the hotel's premises. "Now that Tallinn has become the European Capital of Culture, we believe it's the perfect time to tell the story of Hotel Viru, the KGB's part in this story, and speak about the entire era as it can give guests who have come from afar to visit us the chance to get a sense of the era that we lived through," the managing director said.
Most of the exhibits on display originate from the hotel's archives. On Thursday visitors can enjoy free thematic bus tours that begin and end in front of the hotel every half an hour, served by a Soviet bus and a tour guide who speaks four languages.
During the winter period, from the opening day until the end of April, visitors are admitted on Saturdays and Sundays only at 10 and 11:30 a.m. From May until the end of September the museum will be open on all weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A ticket costs seven euros, and five euros for the guests of the hotel.
The hotel, built by Finnish workers at the beginning of the 1970s, will celebrate its 39th anniversary this year.