Article published in the daily newspaper Postimees on May 6, 2005

ALLIES

Aldona Wos, Ambassador of the United States of America to Estonia
Jüri Luik, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the United States

The alliance between Estonia and the United States is strong and abiding, as it is based on a commitment to shared values and common interests. Together we have fought in the Global War on Terror and we have stood next to one another in helping the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo build their own democracies. Both Estonian and American combatants have fallen in these fights and we honor their memories and sacrifice.

Our alliance goes back a long time. The U.S. decision in 1940 not to recognize the occupation and annexation of the Baltic States was important in paving the way for the heroic efforts of Baltic peoples to regain their own independence. The United States offered shelter to many Baltic citizens who were forced to escape their homeland after World War II. This has established strong personal ties between our states. President George W. Bush's visit to Riga and his meeting with the Baltic heads of state, including the Estonian President, is an important event for strengthening and further developing those good relations.

The United States and Estonia are strong allies in NATO. The U.S. President stated in his speech to student organizations (Atlantic Student Summit) in Prague in 2002, at the time of the NATO summit when the Baltic States were invited to NATO: “And nations in the family of NATO, old or new, know this: Anyone who would choose you for an enemy also chooses us for an enemy. Never again in the face of aggression will you stand alone.” The United States and Estonia believe that in transatlantic dialogue and in military defense, NATO remains the key organization. In an example close to home, NATO aircraft are currently flying in defense of Baltic airspace. One of the rotations of aircraft will soon be from the United States. This is a signal of solidarity and of cooperation in support of smaller NATO member states. Every year the U.S. Congress allocates support to assist the Baltic defense forces, but as a main contribution, Estonia has declared that is going to allocate 2% of its GDP to defense spending. We think this is very important.

After his visit to Riga, President Bush flies to the Netherlands, Russia and Georgia. The Estonian President will not travel to Moscow to celebrate May 9. It is every state's independent decision whether to participate in the Moscow festivities. It is a fact that both the United States and Estonia feel deep gratification about the defeat of fascism. At the same time, one cannot forget that in the aftermath of World War II, many nations ended up unwillingly under the yoke of the Soviet Union for decades. We hope that the complicated history of World War II and its aftermath can be discussed honestly. The truth is necessary, because while looking forward, we must ensure that the evils of both communism and fascism are never repeated.

Estonians clearly welcome with great joy President Bush's visit to Tbilisi. The Rose Revolution in Tbilisi and the Orange Revolution in Ukraine give renewed strength to democracy in the region. The United States and Estonia are doing all they can to give these new democracies all the support they need. Both the United States and Estonia already have the experience of cooperation in Ukraine, Georgia, and in other nations that re-emerged following the collapse of the Soviet Union. We would like in particular to emphasize the importance of the OSCE, whose observers played such an important role in making sure that the will of people was reflected in the elections and that no attempts to falsify results succeeded.

In addition to policy and security, the United States and Estonia are connected by thousands of personal relations. Many Estonians study in U.S. universities, and American and Estonian students benefit from their interactions. More and more Americans work in Estonia, participating in the rapidly developing Estonian economy. There is close cooperation between U.S. and Estonian scientists in the spheres of oil shale and medicine research, for example. Both directly and through the Global Fund, the United States has supported the Estonian fight against HIV/AIDS, a terrible disease of the 21st Century. The facilitation of travel does much for person-to-person contact. Americans already travel to Estonia without visas. We are pleased to note that consular specialists of our two nations have started to discuss what steps we can take together so that Estonia meets the standards set by the U.S. Congress for visa free travel to the United States as well.

Relations between the United States and Estonia are dynamic, robust, and based on a solid foundation of shared values. Presidents Bush and Rüütel will reaffirm and advance this outstanding relationship when they meet in Riga on May 7.