23 August 2004
Tallinn Airport

Arrival Remarks by Ambassador Aldona Wos

Tere päevast! I am honored and delighted to be here in Tallinn. Thank you for making me, and my family, feel so welcome.

I am looking forward to serving as the American Ambassador to Estonia, following the presentation of my credentials to President Rüütel.

Our two nations enjoy excellent relations. It will be a very rewarding experience, professionally and personally, to build on what is already a blossoming, productive relationship. Estonia and the United States not only share common values -- in our embrace of vibrant democracies, free markets, and a love of freedom -- but also a history of offering support to each other when needed.

We Americans supported Estonia's aspirations to regain independence and full sovereignty, to accede to key trans-Atlantic and European institutions, and to establish the vibrant civic society you enjoy today.

Estonia, in turn, has proven itself a principled and courageous ally of the United States in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and in so many international political and economic organizations. I speak for the American people and for the U.S. Government -- and for President George W. Bush -- when I say that we deeply appreciate Estonia's meaningful, concrete support for us.

Thanks to Estonia's remarkable work in developing an environment friendly to business, entrepreneurship, and foreign investment, there are tremendous opportunities to expand our nations' trade relationship. I will work with the American and Estonian business communities to develop this potential to its fullest.

I am excited about developing a new agenda in U.S.-Estonian relations, while building on the successes of my predecessors. My background as a medical doctor will prove useful as we work together to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis.

My family's history gives me insight into the horrors and hard choices of World War II, and of Communist oppression. For so many years, Estonia was not free to examine its past in a thorough way. Now Estonia enjoys that freedom, but we know the healing process from such wounds takes decades. America's rich experiences in integration and multi-culturalism, while still works-in-progress themselves, may have relevance for Estonia, as it builds its future on the foundation of a diverse population.

I cannot know everything that lies ahead during my tenure as Ambassador. But I do know that the strength of our relationship guarantees that we will succeed in facing the challenges that confront us.

I am a new arrival in your country. There is much for me to learn about all aspects and all parts of Estonia from you, my new hosts.

My arrival here today, is the first step in what promises to be an exciting, fulfilling tenure. I appreciate your welcome. I look forward to hearing your experiences and your views. I am ready to get to know Estonia, and to work on strengthening our excellent relationship. Tänan ja nägemist!

---