President Lennart Meri, patron of the Ernst Jaakson Foundation, convened the Board of the Foundation to the first meeting in Kadriorg today.

The Board of the Foundation includes the political observer Paul Goble, Minister of Foreign Affairs Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the former Hiiumaa County Governor Tiit Laja; also Kalev Kotkas, member of the Riigikogu and former Emmaste County Governor, Jüri Lauter, chairman of the Emmaste Rural Municipality Council, Ilmar Heinsoo, the Honorary Consul-General of Estonia in Canada, the Emmaste Rural Municipality Governor Heller Sööl, businessman Toomas Sildmäe, Riho Sõrmus, Director General of the Estonian Road Administration; Juhan Simonson from the Estonian National Council in the United States of America, Jaak Treiman, Estonian Honorary Consul in Los Angeles, and Katharina Frasure, widow of the former US Ambassador to Estonia Robert Frasure. Ilmar Heinsoo, Juhan Simonson, Jaak Treiman and Katharina Frasure did not participate in today’s meeting.

In the presence of President Lennart Meri, the council discussed the statutory activities, the restoration of the motor yacht “Ernst Jaakson”, the establishment of a scholarship for studying international relations and opportunities for recognising conscientious state officials. The members of the Board divided themselves in three working groups.

Trivimi Velliste, member of the Riigikogu and the former Ambassador of Estonia to the United Nations Organisation also participated in the meeting and was also given the membership of the Board. The next meeting of the Board will take place on July 3, 1999.

The Ernst Jaakson Foundation was established on President Lennart Meri’s initiative to perpetuate the memory of Ernst Jaakson, the grand old man of the Estonian diplomacy. The address of the foundation is Emmaste, 92001 Hiiumaa, and the Foundation’s account number is 1120266655 in Hansabank, code 767.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, March 28, 1999

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