President Lennart Meri met with Robin Cook, the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, today in London.

The main subject discussed in the meeting was the enlargement negotiations of the European Union. The President of Estonia said that of the present period Estonia has to make the work of its government institutions more effective and pay more attention to social issues. The President said that Estonia was hoping for support from Great Britain.

Great Britain has offered support to Estonia through the Know-How Fund. One of the projects of the Fund has been the creation of a system of professional qualifications. According to Robin Cook the government of Tony Blair understands the importance of education and qualification of labour to the expansion of the European Union and Great Britain is ready to assist Estonia in this area. The Foreign Minister of Great Britain said that should it be necessary, the already initiated Know-How Fund projects could be reviewed. Robin Cook said that he saw education as a matter of importance in the development of Estonia since, considering the location of Estonia, educated labour is of great value. President Meri introduced the document ''A Learning Estonia'' to Robin Cook.

In discussing the ethnic minorities of Estonia Cook said that Estonia has followed the requirements of the ethnic minority policies of the European Union. Cook added that it is known in Great Britain that the issues concerning ethnic minorities are important for the Government of Estonia and they are also important for Europe. ''The important thing is that clear requirements for receiving citizenship do exist,'' said Cook.

The President of Estonia mentioned to the Foreign Minister of the presiding country of the European Union that citizens of Estonia still require a visa to enter the states of the Schengen treaty.


Press Service of the Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia
Kadriorg, February 26, 1998

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