President of the Republic expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister, Ministers, the Acting Commander of the Defence Forces and the members of the commission of experts who had drawn up Estonia's Annual National Programme of NATO accession. Now, a comprehensive and systematic document is ready and will serve as a basis for the development of the Estonian Defence Forces for the next five years.

The President pointed out that the development of our defence forces to the level sufficient for co-operation with NATO is directly connected to the Government's intention to increase defence expenditure. ''I support the increase of defence expenditure in the coming years, as the national security of Estonia demands it,'' the President said. ''I am grateful to the Riigikogu for the concord that was reached with the main parties already at the beginning of this year, that two per cent of the GDP must be allocated to defence expenditure.''

The President said that the plan was good but must also be implemented. ''I will do everything in my power,'' the President reiterated, ''for the consistent implementation of this plan. We will keep a keen eye on the development of the defence forces for the next NATO enlargement round in the year 2002.''


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, September 27, 1999

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