President Lennart Meri and Mrs. Helle Meri this afternoon returned to Estonia from a week’s state visit to the Republic of Greece.

President Meri considered the state visit a success, Estonia received even stronger support to her aspirations than expected. Estonia has also earlier been aware of Greece’s support to her EU accession, but the state visit confirmed Greece’s firm support also to Estonia’s aspiration to accede to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

On the meeting with the Greek President Constantinos Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Constantinos Simitis and the Greek Parliament leaders, establishment of closer relations between the two countries was discussed. The Greek side promised to open an embassy in Estonia in the coming months.

In the presence of President Lennart Meri and President Constantinos Stephanopoulos also agreements in the field of tourism, culture and transport were signed.

Three business seminars took place in Piraeus, in Thessaloniki and in Herakleion to further business relations between Estonia and Greece, and also the delegation of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry participated in the seminars.

On the meetings between the Estonian Head of State and the leaders of the Greek administration, also the establishment of the Medal of Pytheas for rewarding the Estonian and Greek citizens who have worked for the breakthrough in the cultural and economic relations between the two countries, was discussed.

The Greek President and the Prime Minister accepted President Meri’s invitation to visit Estonia.


On the state visit to Greece, President of the Republic was accompanied by Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihkel Pärnoja, Minister of Economic Affairs, the State Secretary Aino Lepik von Wiren, Academician Olav Aarna, Rector of the Tallinn Technical University, and Toomas Luman, Chairman of the Board of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, May 29, 1999

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