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President Ilves at a foreign and security policy conference in Riga

11.09.2010

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who gave a speech at a foreign and security policy conference in Riga, spoke of the impact of the recent economic crisis and management thereof in Estonia.

“Strengthening regional integration is a lesson learned from the crisis,” said the Estonian head of state.

According to President Ilves, Baltic countries have to move quickly with their energy projects, including opening up a regional electricity market, establishing an electricity connection between Lithuania and Poland and the issue of a nuclear power plant. Establishment of modern transport corridors connecting the Baltic States and Poland to the rest of Europe is, in his opinion, just as important.

“If we speak of regional cooperation, we certainly also keep Poland, the Nordic countries and the Baltic Sea countries in mind,” said the Estonian head of state.

According to him, the easing economic crisis once again proved that the economic strength of the European Union depended on how much the Member States followed the common rules of the economic and monetary policy.

President Ilves found it important that everyone stay true to their international obligations in the European Union and NATO in spite of the economic crisis.

“This is a matter of the state’s sense of responsibility and I am delighted that Estonia has managed to do so,” said President Ilves.

The opening of the Riga 2010 Conference included speeches by Baltic Presidents Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Valdis Zatlers and Dalia Grybauskaite as well as the Polish head of state Bronislaw Komorowski.

 

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