President Lennart Meri received Mr. Wolfgang Schüssel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, in Paslepa today. Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Toivo Tasa, the Estonian Ambassador in Austria, and Mr. Michael Miess, the Austrian Ambassador in Estonia, also participated in the meeting. The meeting focused above all on Austria's position towards the enlargement of the European Union now that Austria has assumed the presidency of the European Union from July 1, 1998. The Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised Austria's wish to start actual negotiations with all the six countries that have been included in the first round of the EU enlargement. Austria wishes the enlargement process to function actively. Estonia hopes to keep also the other Baltic States within the enlargement process. The relations of Estonia and Austria with other Central and East European countries, especially the Ukraine, were also discussed on the meeting. International security matters, such as the enlargement of NATO and the Kosovo crisis, were also looked into.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, July 3, 1998

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