President Lennart Meri received Dr. Gerhard Schröder, the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, in the presidential palace of Kadriorg today. As President Meri said, it is very important that the Federal Chancellor of Germany is visiting Estonia; he also welcomed Heide Simonis, Prime Minister of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, who is accompanying the Federal Chancellor.

On the meeting, President Meri spoke of the European Union and his wish that the EU's enlarging capability would develop in parallel with the progress of the negotiations between Estonia and the European Union; he also confirmed Estonia's wish to participate in the further development of the EU structures. Also Estonia's preparations for NATO accession were discussed.

The Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder assured that Germany supports the principle that a state that is ready to accede should be accepted into the union. The Federal Chancellor promised that Germany would contribute to EU's readiness for enlargement by the year 2002, and then the subsequent developments would already depend on the readiness of the candidate country.

The Federal Chancellor of Germany also repeated the decision of the NATO Washington Summit that the door of NATO would remain open, and welcomed the wish of Estonia and other candidate countries to join NATO.

Also Russia was discussed. President Meri and Federal Chancellor Schröder assured their wish to see a democratic and secure Russia. President Meri confirmed that it is Estonia's wish to function as a road to the East as well as a road to the North. As Schröder said, strong bilateral relations both between Russia and the European Union and Russia and Germany need to be established.

Speaking of the bilateral relations between Estonia and Germany, both sides admitted that there are no problems. The President thanked Germany for the assistance and support rendered so far. Gerhard Schröder assured that the President of the Republic of Estonia is most welcome on a state visit to Germany in November this year.

President Lennart Meri will host a festive dinner in honour of the Federal Chancellor of Germany in the House of Blackheads tonight.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, June 5, 2000

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