President Lennart Meri has sent a letter to nine United States senators, in which he welcomes the plea of the senators to their colleagues to ratify the NATO enlargement agreement, thereby supporting the inclusion of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic in NATO.

In his letter to Senators William V. Roth, Richard Lugar, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Joseph Biden, Richard Durbin, Gordon Smith, Chuck Hagel and Barbara Mikulski, President Meri writes that like the senators, the Baltic countries believe that that this is an essential step in promoting our common vision of a Europe secure, free and prosperous. The Estonian head of state asserts that Estonia realizes the importance of the commitment the United States and other countries are making through NATO enlargement.

President Meri affirmed in his letter that Estonia also supports NATO membership for Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic because it is a logical step to the inclusion of the Baltic countries into the North Atlantic security area. The Estonian President thanked the senators for the American help to the Baltic countries in overcoming their legacy of the past so that now they can take part in international security affairs via the Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion.

Recalling that the Baltic countries are committed to the partnership formed between their countries and the USA, the Estonian head of state thanked the nine US senators for all the support the United States had given to Estonia and its neighbours.

The nine US senators last Thursday had sent a letter to their colleagues urging them to ratify the NATO expansion agreement.


Information Service of the Presidentļs Office
Kadriorg, 16 February 1998

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