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Estonian Head of State to the German Chancellor: the democratic countries are at a decision-making threshold

26.08.2008

“We are in a situation where the responsibility for making the correct decisions that will increase the security of us all lies with the democratic countries,” President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said at today’s meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who arrived in Estonia on a one-day official visit.

“We are face-to-face with behavior on the part of Russia that the European Union and NATO must take into account when making future choices, because these are organizations with member states and partners that are united by common values and ideals of freedom that Russia has now called into question,” the Estonian Head of State said, which he feels necessitates the restoration of the NATO security planning process, among other things. “In a situation where there is wish to destroy the democratic order and European values, it is of primary importance that the European Union and NATO maintain their solidarity and support for other democratic countries.”

The Estonian Head of State recognized that common understandings and united actions by the European Union are extremely important.

Both President Ilves and Chancellor Merkel assessed Russia’s actions against Georgia to be illegal aggression against a sovereign nation.

“Russia must withdraw its forces from Georgia,” President Ilves stressed. “The situation in Georgia must be brought under international control; the keys to which are international observers and peacekeeping, humanitarian aid and negotiations, in which international organizations have an important role to play.”

According to the Estonian Head of State and the German Chancellor, Russia’s decision to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which are located on Georgian territory, as independent countries only increases tensions in such a complicated situation and violates the principle of the territorial integrity.

President Ilves and Chancellor Merkel affirmed that the decisions made at the NATO Bucharest Summit in respect to the future accession of Georgia and Ukraine to the alliance are still in force.

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