Estonian and Finnish Foreign Ministers Making Joint Visit to Lebanon and Syria

Urmas Paet said that the goal of this joint visit by the Estonian and Finnish foreign ministers is to hear the assessments of Middle Eastern nations on the situation in that region and to discuss opportunities for resuming the Middle East peace process. “We feel it is very important for the Arab nations to actively participate in the Middle East peace process and try to reach reconciliation in Palestine,” stated Paet.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that Estonia would like to open up bilateral communication with Middle Eastern countries. During the course of the joint visit, there are meetings scheduled in Lebanon with President Michel Suleiman, Parliament chairman Nabih Berri, and State Minister Nassib Lahoud. In Syria, Paet and Stubb will meet with President Bashar Al-Assad, Prime Minister Muhammed Naji Al-Utri, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah al Dardar, and Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem.

This is the first meeting on the official level between Estonian and Syria as well as Lebanon since diplomatic relations were established. Estonian established diplomatic ties with Lebanon in 2001 and with Syria in 1993.

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