Estonia’s NATO Ambassador: Small country’s voice is heard in organisation

Harri Tiido

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When Estonia joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in 2004, there was little mention in the Finnish media that in addition to Estonia, countries such as Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia had also joined the alliance.
      Now, after almost exactly two years, Estonia's Ambassador to NATO, Harri Tiido, has some idea of the advantages and disadvantages of membership.
      "We have received much information and analyses from NATO and the member states. Fears that the voice of a small country would not be heard, has proven false", Tiido says. He did not list any specific drawbacks.
     
Not even the deaths of a couple of Estonian soldiers in Iraq have turned the Estonians against the alliance.
      In a poll taken in 2005, a majority of Finns - 63 percent - were opposed to joining NATO.
      Tiido would not make any judgements on Finland's NATO policy, but the discussion has taken on political overtones.
      "Finland already meets the requirements of membership. From Estonia's point of view, it would be a good thing."
     
Commenting on recent reports that Finland would be allowed to take part in decision-making on those NATO crisis management operations that it participates in, Tiido said that the news was premature. The matter is being considered in NATO on the basis of a US and British initiative.
      As a member of the Partnership for Peace programme, Finland can participate in operations, and share costs, but is not involved in their planning, or decision-making.
      "All options are still open", Tiido said.
      He added that Finland is seen in NATO as one of the best Partnership for Peace countries. "If decisions are to be made on new forms of cooperation, Finland will be among the first to be offered a possibility. And Estonia would certainly support it", Tiido added.
      Discussions on the further development of the Partnership for Peace programme continue this week.
     
Tiido sees some problems with some P for P countries.
      He notes that in a number of former Soviet republics, such as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, democracy is either doing poorly, or has not taken hold at all. He says that NATO has better cooperation even with some Muslim countries of North Africa.
      Tiido takes a fairly calm attitude toward violations of Estonian air space by Russian air force planes last year.
      "Some of them were completely accidental blunders. Limits of air traffic control and borders of air space are different. A corner is left open, that Russian planes have not flown around to avoid. Undoubtedly, the Russians have also wanted to test the Estonians' new radar systems."
     
Tiido used to be a journalist for the radio station Kuku and for the Voice of America. Since then, he has worked as a high official in Estonia's Foreign Ministry, responsible for security policy.
      An important reason why Estonia joined NATO is that the Estonians wanted to have a seat at negotiating tables.
      Estonians still have a clear recollection of the Soviet occupation. In spite of the end of the Cold War, and the transformation of NATO toward a crisis management organisation, Estonia considers it important that the organisation has retained its "foundation".
      "Collective defence is still at the core", Tiido says.
      In addition, Tiido feels that development of the European Union and NATO are going in the same direction. "Two parallel organisations are being formed, with largely similar tasks. It would be important to coordinate more."


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland could be allowed into decision-making on some NATO operations (4.4.2006)

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