President of the Republic invited Rear Admiral Tarmo Kõuts and Lieutenant General Johannes Kert to Kadriorg today in order to discuss the needs of development of the national defence of Estonia.

President of the Republic informed that on Friday, he would start consultations with the chairmen of the Riigikogu factions and leaders of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu, and expressed his hope that the Riigikogu would support Rear Admiral Tarmo Kõuts's candidacy to the office of the Commander of the Defence Forces.

On the meeting with Admiral Kõuts and General Kert, considerable attention was given to the need to prepare draft acts on national defence, which call for elaboration and preparatory discussions in the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu before they can be sent on for procedures in the Riigikogu. Also, the existing laws should be elaborated in respects where they no longer meet the modern needs of national defence. The participants of the meeting stated that the legislator should guarantee clear wording of legal acts concerning all aspects of national defence.

President of the Republic appreciated Lieutenant General Johannes Kert's readiness to use his knowledge to assist Rear Admiral Tarmo Kõuts, the possible future Commander of the Defence Forces, in modernising the Estonian Defence Forces.


Press Service of the office of the President
Kadriorg, September 7, 2000

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