The Baltic states (catch all)

[Stan]

Estonia has decided to participate in a NATO and PFP Countries project aimed at supporting Georgia in destroying out-dated and dangerous unguided missiles and rockets.

The project involves destroying 8780 S-8 unguided missiles and Alazan and Crystal anti-hail rockets located in the former Vartsikhe and Depolistkaro air defence bases in Georgia.
The unguided missiles and rockets that are to be demilitarised are long pass their expected life and are kept in unsuitable storage conditions, and as such have become a threat to the environment.

According to the Estonian Minister of Defence, supporting Georgia means increasing the security of not only the region itself but also on a greater scale. “If they were to end up in the wrong hands, such weapons could also cause much harm in NATO area of operations.

[Stan]

Less than four years after they joined NATO, former Soviet republics Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been advising their one-time Communist allies on how to join the 26-nation military alliance.

...the Baltics were once more in the centre of attention on Thursday as NATOs defence ministers gathered in the Lithuanian capital,...

Three former communist countries - Albania, Croatia and Macedonia - are currently candidates for the membership. And the Baltic states have already held several talks with them on NATO integration.

The Baltic states assistance extends beyond promoting the Adriatic countries membership of NATO. They have offered the Adriatic countries development aid out of a sense of solidarity and strategic interests in Brussels, David Galbreath, a political observer at the University of Aberdeen...

For Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, sharing the EU and NATO experience stems from their sense of "corporate responsibility" to assist other countries in transition to common European values, Galbreath said.

The Baltics have also been lobbying NATO to extend membership to the former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine, encouraging NATO to withstand pressure from Moscow, which sees Georgia and Ukraine in its sphere of influence.

[Stan]

According to a routine public opinion poll by Estonia's MOD, 73% of Estonian residents support Estonia’s NATO membership.

90% of those polled consider completing Defence Forces service necessary or completely necessary for young men. The attitude towards evading military service is predominantly negative and the provision of alternative service for young men, who are deemed unfit for compulsory military service, is considered either completely necessary or necessary.

81% of the residents of Estonia consider the Defence Forces a reliable institution, which includes 88% among Estonians and 66% among non-Estonians, respectively. The Defence Forces ranks sixth in the list of twenty-three institutions, used in the poll.

[Stan]

Estonia’s Prime Minister Andrus Ansip spoke up in defense of Estonia's participation in military missions abroad, calling it Estonia's moral duty to the West.

Recalling discussions on foreign missions that took place during the NATO summit in Bucharest, the head of government stressed that Estonia fully supports improving military-civilian cooperation in mission areas.

"It is not possible to achieve a breakthrough in Afghanistan by military means alone, and it's not what one has been trying to do," he said, adding that alliance members have also invested in the strengthening of the country's civilian structures, and will continue to do so.

The militaries of all three countries are also participating in training each other as part of the Baltic Battalion Staff Intelligent Wolf in Tartu, Estonia this week.

[Stan]

Seven NATO nations and the Allied Command Transformation signed the documents for the formal establishment of a Cooperative Cyber Defence (CCD) Centre of Excellence (COE) in Tallinn, Estonia.

The centre will conduct research and training on cyber warfare and include a staff of 30 persons, half of them specialists from the sponsoring countries, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Spain.

“The need for a cyber defence centre to be opened today is compelling,” said General James Mattis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, at the signing ceremony, “it will help NATO defy and successfully counter the threats in this area.”

[selil]

Now I know why I got about 300 hits on my blog downloading everything on Cyber Warfare from Europe.

[Stan]

http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/17681/
Apr 16, 2007
BNS

Reportedly 15,000 Estonians reside in Canada and wonder about their connections to home. The promised visa-free U.S. entry is also dwindling following the POTUS' visit in November.

Latvia’s important diplomatic link with Canada may be dealt a blow, with plans by the conservative Canadian to cut costs by closing its embassy.

The Canadian Press news agency reported that its government was considering slashing the budget of the Foreign Affairs Department, which could lead to the closure of 19 diplomatic missions.

As well as Latvia, embassies in several Balkan, Asian and African countries might also be closed. Late last year Canada closed its consulates in St Petersburg, Milan and two in Japan.

Such an action would be a heavy blow for relations between the two countries, which have always remained close because of the large number of Latvians who reside in Canada.

Latvia’s president Vaira Vike-Freiberga was raised and educated in Canada. Canada was also the first country to ratify Latvia’s accession to NATO in 2003.

[marct]

It's a budget problem unfortunately. I don't think we should close our embassies, but....

Marc

[Stan]

Hi Marc,
Indeed a hard sell. We (both) got them started years ago and now it's time to go (exit strategy in US lingo).

I suppose if the 'fatherland' was across the street and Canada or the US split, I might start to wonder too.

[Stan]

Yesterday evening on Camp Bastion in Southern Afghanistan, Estonian soldiers held a memorial ceremony for two fallen Estonian soldiers, the first Estonians lost in Afghanistan. The two soldiers were members of a mine clearance team in the Helmandy province and were reportedly killed in a missile attack.

The news reached Estonia on the evening of the 23rd, when the nation was celebrating both mid-summer and Victory Day.

In his comments to the Estonian press, President Ilves called on the nation to continue supporting the international missions. “They were not just soldiers but mine clearance specialists whose duty it was to clear Afghanistan. This shows how difficult and dangerous our struggle is together with Afghans for a peaceful Afghanistan. This shows that we have no right to break this mission.”

Joint statement from Estonia's Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs

These members of the Estonian Defence Forces lost their lives in defending the security of the Republic of Estonia by fighting against the global threat of terrorism. We are participating in the operation in Afghanistan at the request of the Afghan Government, as a NATO member, shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the democratic world, as a family of 37 countries contributing to the stability of the world and making it a better place in which to live.”

It is regretful that we have to pay such a high price in defence of our values. Only we can defend our values; not even our allies will defend our values if we are not ready to defend them ourselves.

Today we take for granted that ensuring stability and peace in the world is the duty of a responsible nation. Estonia will continue to contribute to the operation in Afghanistan at this difficult moment, as we cannot let terror, death and destruction prevail, seeds which have been sown by terrorists.

Kadri Liik, Director of the Tallinn-based International Center for Defense Studies opined "Estonians generally supported the Afghanistan mission. The Middle East is a direct concern for Estonia, with or without America. If things boil over there, there are direct implications for Estonia. Noone in government has bothered to make a more sophisticated argument than that we have to support our allies.”

[goesh]

Good post, Stan. Perhaps our best friends truly are the smaller nations.

[Stan]

Estonia's prime minister reiterated on Wednesday, during a visit to meet with U.S. officials, his country's commitment to maintaining troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

PM Andrus Ansip said that his government was motivated by the two countries' security needs and his own country's history.

"We got huge help when this help was needed for Estonia," he said at a press event after a meeting with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. "Now to help others, this is our moral duty, so we will stay in Iraq and Afghanistan until our help is no longer needed in those countries."

[Ron Humphrey]

It was one of the first lessons I learned when I was young and I will never forget it.

One cannot necessarily count on the goodwill and support of those who give less than what they have available in your time of need, but when others offer up more than they can afford to help you, then you know they are true friends.

Estonia, and many others have shown this willingness to support despite the difficulties, and I think we could also put Mr. Blair in that considering he basically sacrificed his political capital in support of that which he believes in.

Good friends are hard to find, Real friends are hard to miss

[tequila]

Lord Palmerston's quote still holds true. Sentimentality makes for good speeches and press releases, but when the rubber meets the road, it generally doesn't last long.

If a new President took a more conciliatory line towards Russia, I doubt we'd see Estonian troops in Iraq or Afghanistan for very long - and indeed why should we?

[Stan]

Estonian Army 1st Lt. Kaido Kivistik, platoon leader for Estonian Platoon 15, congratulates Lionville, Ala., native Spc. Wesley Guy, a mechanic with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, during an award ceremony at Camp Taji, Iraq, Dec. 3.

More at the link...

[Stan]

Estonia's parliament backs military presence in Iraq until 2009

TALLINN, December 19 (RIA Novosti) - Estonia's parliament voted 53-29 in favor of extending the country's military deployment in Iraq until the end of 2008, the parliamentary press service reported on Wednesday.

The move followed a UN resolution on Tuesday extending the mandate for the U.S.-led multinational force (MNF) in the country for another year.

The country has been involved in the Iraqi campaign since 2003 and has around 150 troops currently deployed there and in Afghanistan.

Latvia, another Baltic NATO member, has dramatically reduced the number of soldiers in Iraq, while Lithuania has completely withdrawn its forces.

Estonia's government has budgeted 37.6 million kroons (about $3 million) to support the 2008 Iraqi mission.

[kaur]

Europeans see Moscow as security threat
By James Blitz in London

Published: September 22 2008 23:06 | Last updated: September 22 2008 23:06

Indeed, the Harris opinion poll for the Financial Times, conducted after the conflict between Russia and Georgia last month, indicates the citizens of three west European states would strongly oppose their national armies defending east European nations from a Russian attack.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4530e1dc-8...0779fd18c.html

[Michael F]

I'm not really surprised by those polls.

From a European point of view, people have an other approach to international relations. Despite major setbacks to its development, the EU is the model of international relations European dream to see on a world scale: Relations between nations are defined by laws, treaties (and not by a balance of power), each states gives up part of its power in exchange of mutual cooperation (EU institutions). Such consociationalist modell was especially en vogue after the end of the Cold war. Europeans still consider dialogue, negotiation as the only way. Military efforts is a very lowly reguarded instrument of Foreign policy (except in case of Humanitarian crisis).
If asked to choose between social or military spendings, logically, Europeans will choose social spendings.

About perceived threats, Russia is seen as a potential threat, but escalation is considered the worse option. Dialogue with Russia is the preferred one.

Striking is the fact that the country perceived as being the main threat to global stability for Europeans is the US….. It relates directly to the consociationalist idea most Europeans have. To improve global stability, international dialogue and legitimacy are crucial. The US intervention in Irak, Guantanamo, the refusal to commit to the Kyoto agreement or the treaty banning the landmines are considered immoral (human rights) or illegitimate (No UNSC approval for US intervention) or selfish (global warming). It does not mean that Europeans consider the US as an enemy. Europe was so used to the US as the leading defender of democracy and international justice that the disappointment is great. It’s a bit like learning that a fireman put fire to a building…..

The main problem in European logic is that it disqualifies sheer power as a way to stabilize the world while the main problem of the US recently was to consider military power as a way to solve most international problems. The solution is in between.

Should the next US President (whoever it is) show more consideration on specific issues (guantanamo, Kyoto, Irak,…), Europeans will move the US from biggest threat to stability to main defender of international stability. Should the Europeans understand that international peace can only be reached if diplomacy and military strength are both necessary and the US will stop consider some of us like selfish lame ducks.

More diplomats in the US, more military in Europe will even the balance and create a strong Duo to face such crisis as the Georgian one.

[kaur]

Nato's top military commander has demanded the authority to draw up detailed military plans to defend former Soviet bloc members for the first time since the alliance expanded eastward.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...om-Russia.html

[jmm99]

Hey K, glad this one did not escape your radar screen - it missed mine.

Craddock's request, if rejected or tabled, will be very devastating to NATO - as a traditional collective defense alliance. The polls do not look good (your OP); and the following from the article looks like an impasse.

France and Germany have signalled opposition to the move but Gen Craddock has the strong backing of American and Britain. But even US officials acknowledge there is a risk that the move will cause a rift within Nato. "This becomes politicised very quickly," a Pentagon official said.

As I've noted several times in other threads, Article 5 does have weasel-words. In the Fulda Gap era, everyone ignored the weasel-words for obvious reasons. Craddock says, in effect, "put up". The question is whether Europe and the US (its polls are not that favorable, either) will, at the least, allow a contingency plan.

The new NATO members could well be asking what would NATO do in the absence of a sound collective military plan for their defense. The answer has to be "not much".

Keep your radar tuned to this one - as I am sure you will. It is important.