Today President Lennart Meri of Estonia granted an interview to the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende in connection with Uffe Ellemann-Jensen's withdrawal from politics.

''Uffe Ellemann-Jensen may withdraw from Danish politics, but he cannot withdraw from Estonian history. As a foreign minister he had an extraordinary intuition for the future of Denmark, the Baltic Rim nations and Europe. Beside his friend Hans-Dietrich Genscher he was one of the Baltic architects. He had a sixth sense for perceiving the inevitability of the restoration of Estonia's, Latvia's and Lithuania's independence even at a time when statesmen profoundly forgotten by today exhorted us to patience and to perform a slow, step-by-step tap-dance.

''Estonia owes Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, holder of the Cross of Terra Mariana, the speed with which Denmark and Iceland re-established their diplomatic relations with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the unique rapport that has developed in Danish-Estonian relations between popular political parties, pupils, schools, business people, soldiers, the governments, and the heads of state.

''Estonia has learned the greatest art in politics from Uffe Ellemann-Jensen – the art of linking one's goals with the precise estimation of the time factor. There is always something that has to be done only today and only now rather than tomorrow.

''Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, who officially declared his withdrawal from politics today, has visited Tallinn repeatedly. Estonians know his brilliant personality, which emanated high spirits, wit, pipe smoke and precise political assessments,'' said the President of the Republic.


Press Service of the President’s Office
Kadriorg, 17 March 1998

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