On Wednesday, November 8, President of the Republic met Gerhard Schröder, the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. On the lunch hosted by Federal Chancellor Schröder, the enlargement of the European Union, as well as economic relations between Estonia and Germany and the issue of national minorities in Estonia were discussed.

Federal Chancellor Schröder confirmed to President Meri that the European Union must be ready for enlargement by the year 2002. As the Estonian President said, Estonia will be ready for enlargement by January 1, 2003, at the latest. As Chancellor Schröder said, Germany has no cause to doubt Estonia's capability to fulfil its goals, he also repeated that Germany's opinion has remained the same – a country that is prepared for enlargement, is prepared for enlargement.

The discussion of bilateral relations between Estonia and Germany first and foremost concerned the economy, and as President Meri said, German investors are welcome in Estonia, as so far, there are very few of them. As the Federal Chancellor of Germany said, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is prepared to support small and medium-sized enterprises that intend to develop more active relations with Estonia. Today, President Lennart Meri concluded his five-day state visit to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Chancellor Schröder also complimented Estonia on her national minorities policy and promised to point it out as an example to other countries.

President Lennart Meri and the German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer opened the exhibition ''Estonian Art at the Turn of the Millennium'' in the foyer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. In the speech held at the opening of the exhibition, Foreign Minister Fischer said that the current developments rather mean the uniting of Europe than just the enlargement of the European Union.

On Wednesday evening, President Meri delivered a speech ''Estonia as the Touchstone of the European Integration?'' in the German Foreign Policy Society. On Thursday, November 9, President of the Republic held a speech to the 16 Europe Ministers of the Federal States of Germany in the Hanseatic city of Wismar and had meetings with Harald Ringsdorff, the Prime Minister of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, as well as the municipal leaders of the cities of Wismar, Güstrow and Rostock. The state visit of President Meri and Mrs. Helle Meri ended today.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, November 10, 2000

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