30.03.2004

General Laidoner's decorations arrive in Estonia

Washington, March 30, 2004

At a special event held at the Estonian Embassy in Washington today, March 30, Col. Donald Warner of the US Army Military History Institute presented to Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts a collection of the decorations of General Johan Laidoner. The collection has been with the institute since 1982.

In accepting Laidoner’s medals and decorations, Parts noted that if their return to Estonia and Estonia’s admission to the world’s most successful military alliance on successive days was a coincidence, it must be a very significant coincidence. According to Parts, the opportunity to return the decorations to Estonia is the result of the joint efforts of Estonian and US authorities. “These symbols of honour, once bestowed on an Estonian national hero, now return home. They are now in a safe and secure place, I am proud to confirm on our first day of NATO membership,” he added.

Kurt Volker, Director for NATO Affairs at the National Security Council, passed on to participants the greetings of the President of the United States, George W. Bush. “I am glad that these valuable symbols of freedom return to their rightful owners -the people and government of free Estonia”.

At the ceremony, on behalf of the Republic of Estonia, Prime Minister Juhan Parts bestowed on Bruce Jackson, President of the US Committee on NATO, and one of the most prominent public speakers for enlargement, a decoration of the Republic of Estonia, the second class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana.

After their arrival in Estonia, Laidoner’s decorations will be deposited with the Bank of Estonia.

Government Press Office