Baltic News Service
November 2, 2004
ESTONIAN PRESIDENT MAKES 45 FOREIGN VISITS IN THREE YEARS
TALLINN, Nov 02
President Arnold Ruutel of Estonia has made 45 foreign visits during
his term of office since October 2001.
“The Constitution lays down the president’s obligation to represent the
Republic of Estonia in international relations. After accession to the
European Union and NATO Estonia is systematically expanding its sphere
of international relations — it is connected both with Estonia’s
interests to widen the sphere of bilateral relations as well as the
need to shape its positions as member country of the European Union and
NATO in order to have a say in different processes,” Eero Raun, public
affairs adviser of the president’s office, said to justify Ruutel’s
frequent trips.
This fall the president has already made several visits. He is in Japan
at the moment and will go to Armenia in mid-November, the daily SL
Ohtuleht reported.
Raun said Japan was geographically distant but in the global context a
very important country, and Estonia was hoping to intensify economic
contacts with it.
“Armenia is a country Estonia still knows quite well both from a more
distant past as well as from recent history. As the three Caucasian
countries come in the EU neighborhood policy context, it is necessary
for the European Union, apart from the interests of our own bilateral
relations, that the Baltic countries’ earlier relations with and
experience of those countries do not get rusty.”
“This year visits of different levels and for different reasons have
taken the president to Cyprus, Macedonia, Spain, Hungary, Iceland,
Switzerland, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Austria, Greece, Finland, Denmark,
the United States and Lithuania as well as twice to Latvia. During his
whole term of office the president has made 45 foreign visits,” Raun
said.
Raun said that thanks to his health habits and exercise the president
has never had to be away from work during his present term of office.
“The president’s health doesn’t fail him even on long trips. Rest and
relaxation is connected with constant exercise — walks, jogging or
gardening,” he added.