Video interview

Q: What's your expectations as a future member of NATO?

A: First and foremost, NATO for Estonia is a security issue. We've been trying different options during previous century, they didn't work. So now, we are trying to get all the security guarantees we can find, and NATO is definitely the only hard security guarantee available. Thus, membership in NATO provides us a possibility of having, first, security. Second, it also brings us back to European map and it means that we can be where decisions are taken concerning security. We do not like to see any kind of security decisions taken without us being present and preferably influencing those decisions.

Q: What will your country bring to the organisation?

A: It will bring different, new aspects maybe. First, we have a historical expertise to a certain extent. It means we have moved back from one totalitarian system to a democratic society. That's useful for the future relations of NATO to other countries outside the Alliance.

Second, we will provide a possibility of getting rid of one more potential grey zone on the map because grey zones, which means security-wise undecided regions, always carry with them a potential danger of future frictions or crisis or conflicts. So, the less grey zones we have on European map, the safer the whole of Europe is.

Q: More specifically, in what way will you contribute to the new military structures and missions of the Alliance?

A: Our military strength is definitely limited because the sheer number of Estonians is limited; it's 1.3 million people. It's part of a big city in West. So, we can provide certain niche capabilities.

In addition, we can provide the possibilities of our Air Control System. Currently, it's a common one for the three Baltic States called BALTNET. Thus, we move NATO's eyes further.

Q: As a future new ally, how do you think you can influence NATO's political agenda?

A:We do intend to become active members of NATO, and we have our views on different issues in international relations, thus when those issues will be discussed, we will be participating because NATO is a consensus organisation, which means all the members can have their say.

And of course, in the future, we, to a certain extent, look for allies among allies because NATO decisions are taken after consultations beforehand. So, we participate in those consultations even now. And in the future, we intend to continue this practice, thus if we are sitting at (inaudible) table, we first participate, we second decide together with the rest of the NATO member nations.

Q: Ambassador, thank you very much indeed.

A: Thank you.