President Lennart Meri today sent a greeting to the ''Baltic Eagle'' exercise that had started at Adazhi, Latvia. The President wrote that the Baltic Battalion that was initiated six years ago, has through peacekeeping activities in different parts of the world helped the defence forces of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to obtain the valuable experience underlying the development of defence forces. As the Estonian President said, the meaning of the Baltic Battalion for the Estonian defence forces, as well as to the defence forces of Latvia and Lithuania, lies in acquiring sound and intelligent administrative experience and modern military training.

As President Meri said, the Baltic Battalion’s positive effect on the defence forces is also manifest in the circulation of staff, which helps to share the experience acquired on missions and joint exercises with other units. ''As the first fruit of Baltic military relations after the restoration of our independence, the Baltic Battalion has laid the actual foundation to the deepening and expanding military co-operation between the Baltic States,'' the President wrote, adding that due to modern weapons and equipment, as well as the even level of the staff’s training and discipline, the battalion is a valuable and trustworthy military unit. The President thanked all the NATO countries and our good friends in Scandinavia, Finland, and Switzerland, who have made the Baltic Battalion and the exercise possible.

On the seven-day exercise that started at Adazhi today, the battalion’s readiness for participation in peace support operations shall be tested. Officers from all 12 supporting countries participate in the work of the international headquarters established for the preparation, command and conducting of the exercise. The counter-activities will mostly be led by members of the Estonian defence forces from the Kalevi Single Infantry Battalion, the Antiaircraft Division, the Peace Operations Center and the Tartu Single Infantry Battalion. All in all, nearly 300 members of the Estonian defence forces participate in the exercise at Adazhi.

The exercise was opened by the President of the Republic of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, and also the Greek President Konstantinos Stephanopoulus, who is on a state visit to Latvia, participated in the opening ceremony. The greeting of the President of the Republic of Estonia was delivered by Brigadier General Märt Tiru, Adviser to the Commander of Defence Forces on NATO integration and international military co-operation.


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

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