President of the Republic Lennart Meri and Mrs. Helle Meri today returned from the State Visit to the Republic of Iceland. On the Estonian President's reception held at the end of the state visit, which lasted from September 14 to September 16, Lennart Meri and the Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, as well as the political leaderships of the both states, confirmed the strength of the relations between the two small countries.

The President met the diplomats accredited to Iceland, who had also been invited to the reception, including the representatives of the United States of America, Germany, France, Great Britain, Finland and Russia. The President expressed his condolences to the Russian diplomats in connection with the recent acts of terror committed in Russia. On yesterday's meeting, the President promised Gisli Gislason, the Mayor of Akranes, that he would send a
groveful of young Estonian trees to the Akranes Elementary School that he had visited on the second day of the state visit. During the visit, president Meri and President Grimsson planted two birches into the Forest of Friendship, which is another of the projects of the Icelandic Forest Union for the restoration of the Icelandic forests. Yesterday, president Meri also met in Reykjavik the Estonians living in Iceland.

On the last day of the State visit, President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson lead the Estonian President and the Estonian delegation to the world's greatest geyser which is situated in the inland of Iceland, and also to the Gullfoss Falls and the Sultartang hydroelectric plant which is soon going to be completed. President Meri and Mrs. Helle Meri also had a look at the farm breeding Icelandic horses and went fishing.

President Meri and Mrs. Helle Meri, the Minister of Finance Siim Kallas, the State Secretary Aino Lepik von Wiren, the Riigikogu member Andres Tarand, Academician Richard Villems, Jaanus Pikani, Chairman of the Board of the Tartu University Clinic, and the mission of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry returned to Estonia early this morning by a special flight of Estonian Air.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, September 17, 1999

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