In Kadriorg today, President of the Republic handed over the international relations scholarship of the Ernst Jaakson Foundation to Katrin Uba, politology student of the Tartu University, and the award of a conscientious and responsible public servant to Kyllike Sillaste, First Secretary of the Estonian Embassy in London. President of the Republic is the patron of the Ernst Jaakson Foundation founded in 1998.

Tiit Laja, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation, was glad that there had been about a dozen applications for both the scholarship and the award that were issued for the first time this year. The Board of the Foundation appointed the Scholarship of 25,000 kroons to Katrin Uba, who is on the second year of her studies of politology at Tartu University, as a student who is ''especially eager for knowledge, hard-working, conscientious and precise''.

The public servant award of 10,000 kroons went to Kyllike Sillaste, First Secretary of the Estonian Embassy in London, whose candidacy was put up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Earlier, Kyllike Sillaste was Director General of the European Integration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and thereafter Director General of Policy Planning Department, also in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who ''made a remarkable contribution to guarantee one of the top accomplishments of Estonian diplomacy after the restoration of our independence – namely, our invitation to the EU accession negotiations among the first round of East European states.''

President of the Republic wished that the memory of Ernst Jaakson, bearer of the continuity of the Republic of Estonia, would always be cherished. President Meri pointed out that the Republic of Estonia is like a car that has to catch up with others and move with greater speed to cover the distance of 50 years.


The aim of the Ernst Jaakson Foundation is to preserve the memory of the distinguished Estonian diplomat Ernst Jaakson and to support the strengthening of Estonian independence. The Foundation issues a scholarship in the field of international relations and award to an educated and conscientious public servant. President of the Republic is patron of the Foundation.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, March 15, 2000

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