President Lennart Meri today sent a letter to Vladimir Putin, the Acting President of the Russian Federation, and expressed his sincere condolences on the occasion of the untimely death of Anatoli Sobchak. ''With his death, Russia has lost a world-class politician, whose eyes were always looking into the future,'' President Meri wrote.

In his letter, the Estonian President recalled his open-minded conversations about the relations between the two countries. ''It is sad getting used to the thought that Estonia has lost a good friend, who understood our wish to restore our position in Europe and develop economic and cultural relations based on equality of rights and mutual respect with Russia,'' the President wrote.

President Meri asked Vladimir Putin to forward his condolences to the family and relatives of Anatoli Sobchak.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, February 20, 2000

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