Estonian Embassy in Turkey :: News and events

Eleven EU Foreign Ministers Give Support to Turkey

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:17:32 GMT

Eleven EU Foreign Ministers, including Minister Paet, have drawn attention to the achievements of Turkey in their article published today on EUObserver, arguing that the tumultuous economic and political times should not lead to the EU turning its back on its neighbourhood.

http://euobserver.com/7/114473

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet: Close Relations Are Needed Between European Union and Turkey

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:35:34 GMT

No. 354-E

During his meeting in Tallinn today with Turkish Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet confirmed Estonia’s support for the continuation of Turkey’s accession negotiations with the European Union. “Turkey’s ongoing dedication to carrying out reforms that bring it closer to the European Union is the best way to move forward in the negotiation process,” Paet noted. “Necessary reforms and the implementation of approved laws will provide an opportunity to accede without extra conditions as soon as all the accession criteria have been fulfilled,” he added.

Turkish Minister for European Affairs Bagis gave an overview of the most recent developments in implementing Turkey’s reforms towards European integration. Foreign Minister Paet expressed hope that soon a new chapter would be opened in negotiations with Turkey. “Turkey is close to opening the chapter on competition policy, and opening the energy chapter would be positive as well,” he added. Paet said that the normalisation of Turkey-Cyprus relations is also a key component in Turkey’s road to accession.

Foreign Minister Paet feels that the European Union’s co-operation with Turkey in foreign policy issues is very important. “It is especially vital in the case of the current events in the Middle East and Northern Africa,” he added.

In talking about the visa dialogue between the European Union and Turkey, Paet noted that the European Union should implement visa waivers for its closest partners, and first in that line should be candidate countries like Turkey. “Along with a visa waiver agreement, the European Union and Turkey must also conclude a readmission agreement,” he added. Estonian citizens may visit Turkey without a visa.

During the meeting Paet expressed condolences for the families of those who died in the earthquake and aftershocks that took place in Turkey on 23 October and for all those who were affected by the natural disaster. “Estonia supported aid for the victims of the earthquake and work to clean up the aftermath of the disaster through the Turkish Red Crescent Organisation with 100 000 euros,” said Paet.

Paet also noted at the meeting that Estonia strongly condemns the terror attacks organised by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in south-east Turkey. “We believe that comprehensive international co-operation against terrorism is extremely important,” he noted.

In talking about bilateral relations, Paet noted that political, economic and cultural ties between Estonia and Turkey are thriving. Paet also expressed hope that a direct flight between Istanbul and Tallinn would be opened soon.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/estonian-foreign-ministry

Estonia helps the victims of the earthquake in Van

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:09:02 GMT

The Estonian Foreign Ministry has granted 100 000 EUR to the Turkish Red Crescent for helping the victims and managing the consequences of the disastrous earthquake in Eastern Turkey on 23 October that that has left over 500 dead and more than 1600 injured.

According to Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Estonia’s contribution comes as a response to the Turkish government’s request to the international community yesterday to support rescue works, providing temporary shelters, prevention of the spread of diseases and distributing food. „Nearly 600 000 people are without a home and thousands of houses have been destroyed,“ affirmed Paet. „Aftershocks and temperatures below zero add to the difficulty of the situation. Another problem is the possible spread of contagious diseases,“ said the minister.

The sum given to Turkish Red Crescent comes from the Foreign Ministry budget reserved for humanitarian aid.

Political consultations

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:02:01 GMT

On 12 Ocotber 2011, political consultations between Estonia and Turkey were held in Ankara. The Estonian delegation was headed by Political Director Sander Soone who was received from the Turkish side by Director General for Europe Ambassador Adnan Basaga. The consultations covered a number of issues, namely bilateral relations, situation in North Africa and the Middle East, Turkish relations with the Caucasus and the Balkan countries and relations with EU. The meeting took place in a very friendly and open atmosphere and both sides reiterated the usefulness of sharing information in this format.

For photos click here

Internship opportunity!

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:18:35 GMT

Estonian Embassy in Ankara is looking for a long-term TRAINEE.

Necessary prerequisites include excellent command of English and Turkish, very good communication skills, punctuality, sense of responsibility and an interest in international affairs.

To apply, please send your CV and motivation letter to embassy.ankara@mfa.ee by 29 September.

The internship is unpaid.

Minister Paet: Time for a visa waiver with Turkey

Mon, 23 May 2011 07:40:31 GMT

Relations between the EU and Turkey are currently more complicated than they have ever been before.

The analysts who regard the situation with concern never fail to point out the upcoming 50-year anniversary of the association agreement between Turkey and the EU, or remind us that Turkey has already been a part of the European Union common market for 15 years.

Turkey has been a very important partner to the EU for a very long time now, and its importance will not diminish today as it stands outside the union or in the future as a potential new member.

In the last 10 years the country has become more democratic, dynamic and prosperous, largely thanks to integration with the EU. Turkey has gained significance internationally and regionally in both the economic and political spheres.

This is demonstrated by Turkey's increased self-confidence and a foreign policy based on its own interests, especially in Turkey's neighbourhood – which is also the neighbourhood of the EU. In Turkey, the EU states have an irreplaceable partner.

In December of last year we decided that the political dialogue between the EU and Turkey needs to be strengthened. The member states still need to reach an agreement on exactly how this intensified dialogue will be arranged, but in our opinion this agreement could be reached sooner rather than later.

Since Turkey has opportunities to influence developments in areas of strategic importance for the EU, I am convinced that closer communication than previously on foreign and security issues would give clear added value.

We should avoid a situation in which the relevant consultations are not held merely because they do not fit into the formally prescribed framework of the political dialogue between the EU and the given candidate country.

"Arab Spring"

The developments in Arab nations over the past few months have brought to light two completely new aspects of EU-Turkey relations that confirm the urgent need to take reciprocal co-operation to a higher level than before.

First of all, the 'Arab spring' has led us to ponder how the EU could help with building up democratic societies and socio-economic development in our southern neighbourhood. I believe that Turkey could help us with this, since it is very likely that the country could use "soft" tactics to influence the situation in a more effective way than the EU or US alone.

Let's be honest with ourselves – the new reform-minded leaders of Arab nations are more likely to look to Turkey as an example than to the reformed countries of central and eastern Europe. Hearing Turkey speak of its democratic re-organisation would most likely be more persuasive to the populations of newly-freed Northern African societies than messages from some EU capital.

There is no doubt that the EU wants to see its southern neighbours develop in a direction that would ensure stability and prosperity in the near future. Therefore, I feel that if the EU wants to influence and shape the developments on the southern shore of the Mediterranean according to its own values, it would make sense for it to do so by working together with Turkey.

Second, we must also think about how to reduce the negative side effects that accompany changes in society. The Arab spring has led to a wave of immigration into the European Union. This is a problem of great proportions, and its growth is cause for justified concern from EU member states.

Today this concern is also felt by Turkey, which has in recent years become the main transit country for migrants moving toward Europe. Taking into consideration Turkey's proximity to the main countries of origin, the visa waiver agreements it has concluded with many Arab nations, and its shared border with Europe, it is clear that the Arab spring is having a direct effect on Turkey.

More and more people are heading towards Turkey, looking for shelter and trying their luck on the EU borders. Obviously Turkey should play a vital role in finding a solution to these problems, and it should do so in close co-operation with the EU.

Readmission agreement

It seems natural that the EU waives visa requirements for candidate countries, provided that their citizens do not pose a risk to illegal immigration, public policy and security. We also must not forget that visa waivers are currently ongoing with many countries that do not have prospects for accession to the EU in the foreseeable future.

Taking into consideration Turkey's strong economic and cultural integration with Europe, the question arises as to why a visa waiver is still taboo in the EU? The reason can't be the citizens of Turkey, whose immigration and readmission does not present a problem for the EU. No, the source of the headache is the waves of migrants that pass Turkey as a transit country. However, in order to solve this issue, both sides need to show their willingness to do so.

Signing a readmission agreement would clearly mark concrete progress in the relations between the EU and Turkey. A draft agreement already exists today. It is awaiting implementation. For Turkey, the agreement means an obligation to readmit most of the third country nationals who are currently using Turkey as a layover on their way to Europe. This is a significant concession on Turkey's part and also requires some commitments by the European Union.

First of all we must not forget that the readmission agreement is dealing with consequences, it is an efficient fire distinguisher, but does not constitute a comprehensive solution to the challenges of irregular migration. If we do not help Turkey deal with the immigration flows transiting the country, it's hard to assume that the readmission agreement would make significant difference in terms of irregular migration.

It's also essential that Europe clearly shows its readiness to become more open to Turkish citizens. The EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in February took note of the European Commission's intention to start a visa dialogue with Turkey. I feel that the appropriate moment has arrived to fulfil this promise and take a concrete step towards visa freedom between the EU and Turkey.

Successfully concluded visa dialogues with the western Balkan countries serve as a good example on how step by step co-operation, based on concrete requirements, will provide a visa freedom in a secure environment.

A visa dialogue based on the concrete requirements is also the best framework for helping Turkey to reform and strengthen its border guard and asylum system. Strictly from a political point of view, the European Union should first and foremost ensure visa waiver for its closest partners, and this naturally means the candidate countries.

Visa 'hypocrisy'

Turkey is the only candidate country whose citizens still need to apply for a visa when visiting European Union. This situation seems hypocritical and unfair in circumstances where the European Union is holding serious visa waiver talks with other third countries that do not have interest or prospects for accession to the EU in the foreseeable future.

I believe that the EU and Turkey should not waste any more time running in circles. The implementation of the readmission agreement and a well-defined visa dialogue providing a clear prospect for visa waiver would open up a new page in EU-Turkey relations.

Progress in visa issues would undoubtedly also help to advance the stalled accession negotiations. The EU must continue to be taken seriously and trusted when it comes to giving promises and initiating processes. For this reason, it is time to call on the European Commission to present a roadmap for visa liberalisation with Turkey, offering a clear prospect for visa freedom on the basis of clearly defined conditions.

We cannot allow ourselves to become hypocrites and gamble with the reputation of the EU's enlargement and visa policy. What has been started must be finished. We must seize our opportunities. Especially since those opportunities are within our reach.

http://euobserver.com/9/32369

Estonia Supports European Union’s Movement Towards Visa Waiver and Readmission Agreements with Turkey

Fri, 13 May 2011 11:57:42 GMT

At his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that the European Union should make rapid progress in its visa dialogue with Turkey, with the goal of waiving visas between the European Union and Turkey and concluding a readmission agreement.

“A visa waiver agreement does not mean the end of border controls, but it would make communication and travel easier. In accordance with political logic, the European Union should first and foremost implement visa waivers for its closest partners, and in that case the candidate states are at the top of the list. Before holding visa waiver-related talks with other countries, we must enter into a visa waiver agreement with candidate countries like Turkey,” he added.

Estonian citizens can get into Turkey without a visa.

Paet stated that Turkey’s development has been swift, the quality of life has risen, the state issues biometric passports, and Turkish citizens do not pose a great risk of immigration to the European Union. “Our concern is over the citizens of third countries that use Turkey as a transit country for immigration. Along with the visa waiver agreement, the European Union must also conclude an agreement for the readmission of individuals, so that Turkey would be obligated to take back those who illegally enter the European Union from Turkey,” he added. Paet said that concluding a readmission agreement is in the direct interests of the European Union.

http://www.vm.ee/?q=en/node/11619

Estonian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Discuss Co-operation to Free Estonians Abducted in Lebanon

Fri, 13 May 2011 11:54:56 GMT

During his meeting with Foreign Minister Urmas Paet in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu confirmed that Turkey is continuing to provide whatever help is necessary to help find and free the Estonian citizens who were abducted in Lebanon.

Paet said that Turkey has profound knowledge of the Middle East region and has a strong representation and contacts in the area. “Co-operation with Turkey has gone very well,” he added.

At their meeting, the foreign ministers also talked about developments in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Foreign Minister Paet said that the developments in that region indicate an urgent need to bring co-operation between the European Union and Turkey to a higher level, taking into consideration Turkey’s important role in the Middle East and Northern Africa.

Paet proposed to Davutoğlu that Turkish Airlines consider opening a direct flight between Tallinn and Istanbul.

The Estonian and Turkish foreign ministers also agreed to support one another in their UN candidacies.

Photo from the meeting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/estonian-foreign-ministry/5713473415/in/pho...

http://www.vm.ee/?q=en/node/11586

President Ilves spoke about Turkey, the Arab Spring and the experiences of Estonia at the 4th Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, 15 May 2011

Wed, 18 May 2011 06:17:12 GMT

Keynote speech at the Lennart Meri Conference

A quarter century ago the Polish Solidarnosc activist Adam Michnik described the tasks that lay ahead for a liberated or about-to-be liberated Eastern Europe: „We know very well how to make fish soup from an aquarium but we don’t know how to make an aquarium out of fish soup“.

I thought it the most succinct description possible of the difficulties Eastern Europe faced after overthrowing half a century of communist dictatorship.

I met with up again with Adam two years ago in Warsaw and asked him if we now knew how to make the soup into an aquarium. He smiled and said, „Some of us, yes“.

That is to say, that some of those who came out from under communist dictatorship have learned a thing or two about what to do and what not to do after a change from despotism to something better on the road to democracy. My talk today is to explain why I believe that knowledge to be empirical, proven and transferable.

Yet beautiful and appropriate as it is, the aquarium is too simple a metaphor. Some years ago Francis Fukuyama described the problem we in Eastern Europe faced as „Getting to Denmark“, how to change undemocratic, weak or failed states into modern functioning countries, where „Denmark“, I quote Fukuyama:

“stands generically for a developed country with well- functioning state institutions. We know what ‘Denmark’ looks like, and something about how the actual Denmark came into being historically. But to what extent is that knowledge transferable to countries as far away historically and culturally from Denmark as Somalia and Moldova?”

Looking at the post-overthrow, though not yet post-revolution Northern Africa and the Arab World, I would suggest that we not fixate on „Denmark“ as a specific place, because Denmark is one instance, one version out of many of the best we can do. It is a generic term, as Fukuyama himself stresses. Rather, and to give us all pause to reflect on what the hell we are thinking in our cranky crabbiness regarding EU enlargement, allow me to rephrase and turn the problem around as Getting to Turkey, far and away the most successful of all countries in the Islamic world on the road from despotism to liberal democracy.

Indeed, I detest the term „Islamic World”. We do not say „Christian World“, certainly at least not in a geopolitical context. Yet “Islamic World” has entered the discourse as a term that means something, so you know what I mean, even though I find it ridiculous.

Moreover, of course, we can always find some whining member of the gotcha gang to say „but Turkey isn‘t there!“, but then again there were all kinds, when Fukuyama posed the metaphoric getting to Denmark construction, who found reason to say that Denmark also had not reached the Platonic ideal of the perfect state.

So for the purposes of the North Africa democratisation process discussion let us agree that Turkey also has its imperfections and problems, but it is by far the best example out there in the „Islamic World“ and, I would argue, better even than some members of a European Union doing their utmost to keep Turkey from becoming a member.

But I am not Turkish and even as a turkophile, cannot pretend to know how Turkey did it. Moreover, knowing a little bit of the history of Turkey I am not sure that, aside from the matter of a shared Islam, whether the Turkish historical experience is even the appropriate one to look at to figure out how in the Arab world to make an aquarium out of despotic fish soup.

We do, however, at least in this room today and in our part of the continent, know a thing or two about democratic transformation in Europe. Nor do I believe, as I have repeatedly averred, think there is anything particularly „unique“ or „European“ about our transformations, at least the successful ones.

A decade ago, when for a while I enjoyed the opposition parliamentarian’s exquisite right to speak his mind and be quoted without having to face any consequences, I summarised the democratisation experience of the post-communist world with a paraphrase of the opening line to Lev Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin: “All successful post-despotic countries reformed alike. Each unsuccessful country finds its own excuse.”

Already then, after a decade of “transition”, it had become clear that to successfully overthrow authoritarian or totalitarian rule, “regime change” was not enough. That was the quick, and deceptively often, the easy part. Everything else that we consider to be the essence of creating a democracy: institution building, establishment of rule of law, development of civic society, fundamental rights and freedoms, economic growth, low corruption, turned out to take years and a lot of effort and political capital and will.

There were no guidebooks. There were no guarantees. We saw, sometimes almost immediately, other times slowly, that not every country would succeed. Some failed miserably, some moved ahead, in fits and starts, and at times at a breathtaking speed outsiders could not believe. Other countries languished and continue to languish somewhere in between — better off than under communism but far from fulfilling what looked then to be a promising future.

Plagued by corruption and kleptocratic rule, or subject to de-ideologised but still authoritarian despotism, it is a depressing empirical truth that most citizens of countries that escaped communist totalitarianism twenty years ago today remain under some kind of undemocratic rule. Indeed, of those 400 million (400 million!) people living in countries that back then comprised the audience of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, three quarters live today under rule rated by Freedom House as “Un-free” of “Partially free”. While these citizens are arguably better off than a generation ago, they still live as subjects, not as free citizens.

In other words, the promise of 1989-91 has soured. Many today are unconvinced that democracy was the right choice, some realize as well that what the revolutions of a generation ago resulted in often was not democracy. Yesterday, our colleague from past Lennart Meri Conferences, Andrei Sannikov, was sentenced by a kangaroo court in Minsk to 5 years of hard labour for something he did not do.

When we look back at twenty years of democratisation efforts in the post-communist world it is possible to pick out elements common to all successful transitions. As Tolstoy’s dictum suggests, we can with little difficulty pick out many more pitfalls and errors. These observations and conclusions are largely empirical, not necessarily truths, although perhaps in the future these might become rules for political scientists studying transitions to democracy from authoritarian rule.

Today, as the world watches fascinated — and in some cases, horrified — at popular rebellions against authoritarian rule in Northern Africa and in parts of the Arab world, what we here in the post-communist world sense first and foremost is déjaā vu. We recognize ourselves just a generation ago. The feeling of now or never, the sense that at long last there is a chance to throw off the stagnant and thuggish rule that has held us back or been on our back for decades. An exhilaration at success, bewilderment at how weak tyranny turned out to be and how quickly the despotic clique that for decades for decades had brutalized the citizenry collapsed, gave up or fled. To our democratic colleagues in Egypt and elsewhere, I would say: Cherish these emotions; they will be touchstones.

Now, however, comes the shock at suddenly having to take over responsibility for running the country. Mail needs to be delivered, healthcare managed, payrolls met. Alliances of like-minded colleagues and comrades crumble, factions emerge, politics emerges from the furtive sub rosa world of dissident meetings. No one any longer taps your phone, you are now in charge and now you wonder if those long-time employees working in the ministry you run are trustworthy. You pinch yourself and wonder is this real, after all this time. Yes, it is. Now put away those childish toys, bewilderment time is over. Time to get to work.

III The Irrelevance of Initial Conditions.

Much of the discussion on democratic revolutions has focussed on some rather silly and empirically dubious issues of how things in the Arab world are „different“ from what has gone before.

The revolutions of 1989 and 1991 themselves differed in kind. Some were gradualist, as in Poland and Hungary, some rapid as in East Germany (the “DDR”), and in the erstwhile Czechoslovakia and Romania. Some were peaceful throughout, others turned violent, as in Romania or in the brutal Soviet crackdown in Lithuania and Latvia. In some, post-authoritarian plans for change had been prepared for years and with tacit co-operation from the undemocratic regime (Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). In others, the collapse of authoritarian/totalitarian rule occurred so suddenly that almost overnight dissident furnace-stokers became ministers of government charged with formulating policy, as happened to the late Jiri Dienstbier in Czechoslovakia.

Initial conditions varied as well. Iron-fisted and thuggish rule in Bulgaria, Romania, Czechoslovakia and the “DDR” stood in contrast to the softer authoritarianism in Janos Kadar’s Hungary. Poland had by 1989 seen an easing of the martial rule of the early 1980s with recognition of Solidarnosc as a legitimate negotiation partner. In the Baltic countries, the totalitarian style of most of the rest of the USSR had by 1989-91 become softened to the degree that independence movements were mildly tolerated, at least by the native authoritarian elite.

Yet in retrospect, initial conditions mattered little in the long-term transition to genuine liberal democracy, or in its failure. After all, conditions across the USSR were more similar than different, yet of the 15 successor states of the Soviet Union only three countries today — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania —are rated by Freedom House as „Free“. Those three also are members of the European Union and NATO, the premier “clubs” of democracies, while the rest of the erstwhile “fraternal republics” of the USSR range from mildly authoritarian to brutally autocratic. There have been backsliders as well as those who never made it past the starting gate. Some that started off on the right path but simply stalled either because the new political leadership feared to risk unpopular steps or because of corruption or both. Whatever the individual cause for failure, one can always find a justification. Each unsuccessful country finds its own excuse. And every country where overthrowing a repressive regime does not result in a democracy is a failure.

That said, I believe the standard line that functioning democracy is about building institutions is too simplistic and broad-brushed. Twenty and more years after the revolutions of 1989-91, we know a good deal more than that trivial truth. We know empirically what kind constitutional arrangements tend to lead to authoritarianism, which voting systems result in cycles of retribution, which in turn lead to cycles of mismanagement.

Allow me to offer a few lessons we have learned.

Presidential vs Parliamentary systems.

Already before the revolutions of 1989-1991 it seemed to be the case that presidential forms of government had far more problems with democracy than parliamentary systems. In Asia and Latin America strongman rule was associated with Presidential systems. Unstable, unconstrained by a strong opposition, with powers unchecked and unbalanced, presidential systems had problems even in ostensibly democratic Europe, as in the case of Urho Kekkonen’s dubiously democratic rule in Finland.

Indeed, the U.S. seems rather to be the exception than the rule, having successfully managed presidential rule for 230 years. Even in the case of the U.S., however, we need to admit that for its first 150 years the powers of the President were quite constrained. With the exception of the extraordinary powers taken by Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. Civil War, the modern institution of a strong President only emerged with the New Deal reforms of the Roosevelt Administration.

With a century and a half of weak powers and strong suspicion of centralized power and support for constitutional limits, the U.S. has avoided the problems we observe elsewhere. It is one of those cases of American exceptionalism we Europeans often so envy and occasionally decry. Which has not prevented American politicians, journalists and diplomats from failing to grasp that parliamentarism does not mean “weakness”, “instability”, that the “figurehead” role of presidents in parliamentary systems is not to be scoffed at. It is precisely the separation of executive political power from the constitutional legitimacy of the State invested in its formal head that in so many cases has helped preserve democracy in cases of political over-reach by the executive.

The correlation between presidential rule in the post-communist world and failing grades in the Freedom House index should give all 2011 post-revolutionary democrats in Northern Africa pause. As should the recognition that all the new post-communist members of the EU have weak presidents and strong prime ministers. As is the case, incidentally, in Turkey as well.

Presidents, however, are not everything.

Majoritarianism, politicized civil services and multiple mandate election districts.

Authoritarianism, totalitarianism or simply despotism with their frequently messy or even bloody successions instill a no-holds-barred, winner-take-all-mentality in politics even after transition to democracy. It is imperative to break that cycle, to resist the temptation to give them what they did to you.

Even the most ardent democratically-minded former dissident may find that once in power, the imperative to compromise with an opposition comprised of the former, now deposed ruling elite, is weak. The urge to use majority rule as a sledgehammer under the banner, “this is democracy”, is not only understandable but even completely legitimate.

Yet majoritarian, two party systems, while infinitely superior to one-party rule, can, if unchecked by compromise lead to an ultimately destabilizing flip-flopping bi-polar pattern of rule. It is not only in countries with low Freedom House ratings that a politicized civil service in combination with electoral flip-flopping leads to incompetent administrations with slow learning curves and ultimately to stagnation.

Majoritarian, first past the post or single mandate electoral districts of the kind we have in the Anglo-Saxon world, the UK, the US and Canada seem elsewhere to lead precisely to the winner-take-all sledge hammer approach to politics. Multiple mandate electoral districts, on the other hand, which result in a number of parties in parliament, force upon society a greater degree of compromise. This has the disadvantage of making dramatic change more difficult to effect, yet does increase the need to forge coalitions, find common solutions, and compromise, etc. It also means that the political process is more inclusive, for even the more extreme parties are far tamer in the parliament than in the streets.

Moreover, the absence of winner-take-all politics makes it more difficult to politicize the civil service, my next point.

Politicized civil services, a fundamental problem with authoritarian societies, is not unfamiliar to democratic societies. The more politicized, i.e. the lower down on the bureaucratic ladder that party membership is an issue or relevant, the less competent your government as a whole will be, for your ministries will consist of party loyalists not competent people. Moreover, the greater the politicization, the greater the „cleaning house“ effect when, as in all democratic societies the inevitable happens, and the electorate votes in a new government.

I have over the years seen cases in the post-communist world where everyone but the cleaning staff is changed after an election. This is not good. The new party stalwarts in civil service posts have to learn from scratch. The result is incompetent governance and a disaffected populace, not good if you want ensure that democracy is permanent.

There are many other lessons we have learned in Central and Eastern Europe, involving lustration, methods of privatisation and how that is related to the the emergence of oligarchic economic rule, press rights freedoms and obligations. This is not the place to go through them; I mentioned those above only as examples of what we have learned the hard way and what can be of use to others.

My main point is that we in the successful countries of the post-communist world know a good deal from our own experiences about what works and what does not. We also know that much of the advice we got back when we were still fish soup was just plain silly. So we know too what it is like to have overbearing, often obnoxiously patronizing experts telling us how to reform our countries.

From this experience we who live and occasionally govern in successful post-communist countries have an obligation on the one hand to be available to post-revolutionary, democratic governments in the Arab World to share our empirical and first hand knowledge of transition to democracy. On the other hand, we must never forget our understanding of how delicate this can be. After all, we got a lot of very bad advice from people who had no clue as to what they were talking about and who had no sense of propriety either.

If there is anything I have concluded thinking back on the past 20 years is that we in fact have much to learn from the way the Arab world was treated for the past 500 years. Professor Edward Said, who taught at my university but whose courses to my own misfortune I failed to take, describes in his book Orientalism the patronizing treatment, actual and intellectual, of the Arab world by the West. I read the book in 1980 and thought it uninteresting. I reread it recently and realized how apt a description it was of how we in Central and Eastern Europe were (and occasionally still are) treated. Just as an example, the following is a quote from a previous president of the European Parliament some dozen years ago when it had become clear that there would be an enlargement of the EU:

The forthcoming enlargement is not comparable to any previous one. This is true not only – and not primarily – because of the immense gulf between the West and the potential East of the Union in terms of the standard of living. More important is that the citizens and the politicians of the Central and Eastern European countries differ fundamentally from those in the present EU Member States as regards their national emotional traditions, experiences, interests and value judgments. What needs to be overcome here is not only the legacy of 50 years of separate development but also far older and more fundamental differences rooted in European history.

I could say that is one of the silliest, crypto-racist, indeed orientalist things I have encountered, except it is not. It’s just part of the narrative we in Central and Eastern Europe have endured for almost a quarter century, from „Lazy Latvians“ working for Laval in Sweden to „Polish Plumbers“ in Paris to Post-soviet, emotionally traumatized, hence foreign policy-challenged Estonians right here in Tallinn. I mention all this to shame those that treated us that way, to chasten those of us who might behave the same way to others and to warn our democratic brethren in Northern Africa that even when you do your best, there will be those in Europe who don’t get it. As the Turks well know.

Moreover, I think we shall have to make sacrifices for the Arab democrats, if they are to succeed. The EU’s obsession with keeping immigrants out while stubbornly refusing to reform trade policy and the Common Agricultural Policy is intellectually untenable. And morally absurd. Why would we expect people to remain in Northern Africa if they have no work, which will remain the case if we do not provide them or the fruit of their labours with access to our markets? This, however, goes already beyond my brief for today. Democracy in Central Europe and the Arab World is already a big enough topic.

Let me just conclude with this: functioning democracy is not an idea owned by any of us. There are rules, but those who inherited a functioning democracy without having to fight to create it don’t quite know what it means; those who had to build it do. I hope we who do know what it means are willing to work together with democrats in the Arab world to build their democracies. That we appreciate their sacrifices and now extend our hand to them… if we are asked.

http://president.ee/en/official-duties/speeches/6097-getting-to-turkey-or-aquaria-from-fish-soup-/index.html

Estonian Embassy is recruiting a full-time SECRETARY

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:34:36 GMT

Embassy of the Republic of Estonia in Ankara is recruiting

a full-time SECRETARY
with clerical and consular duties.

Requirements

excellent command of Turkish and English (written and oral)

excellent organisational skills

excellent communication skills

profound understanding of principles of customer service

willingness to work in a multilingual and multicultural environment

excellent computer skills, including Internet and MS Office and Outlook

Personal qualities

hard-working and responsible

punctual and independent

open-minded and flexible

Previous experience is not a prerequisite but may be an asset. Training will be given for working with registries in Estonian.

To apply for the position, please send your CV and motivation letter in English to Embassy.Ankara@mfa.ee by 27 May 2011.

Estonian Embassy in Ankara organized Nordic Walking event

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:44:10 GMT

VIDEO – Nordic Walking!

On February 19, The Estonian Embassy in Ankara organized Nordic Walking event near Ankara close to Gölbaşı lake to celebrate the Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. Marko Kantaneva, the creator of Nordic Walking was there to introduce it as well as Estonian company ME Sisustus , that is producing walking equipment under the brand of Marko Kantaneva.

There were diplomats, the representatives of Turkish authorities and friends of Estonia from all over Turkey, including Turkish Minister of European Affairs Egemen Bağış. After a short training all participants got the poles and - despite of the rain - passed happily the 3 km long path. Sportive part followed by a reception.

Estonian Ambassador Aivo Orav said in his speech that Estonia has always felt the support of Turkey and now being a member state of EU, Estonia supports Turkey's aspirations. He also expressed the hope that walking attracts a large number of followers in Turkey.
Turkish Minister of European Affairs confirmed too that relations between Estonia and Turkey have historically been very warm, so as in the present moment. In addition, he called on Turkey to demonstrate the new sport in 2012 when Istanbul will be the European Capital of Sport.

Media attention was high, event was reported in nearly all major Turkish TV channels and daily newspapers.

Estonian Minister of Defense Mr Jaak Aaviksoo in Ankara

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:16:14 GMT

On 8-10 February, Estonian Minister of Defense Mr Jaak Aaviksoo will pay a working visit to Ankara. Minister Aaviksoo will meet his Turkish colleague Mr Vecdi Gönül to discuss developments in NATO and cyber defense, Estonian-Turkish defense cooperation and the Baltic Defense College. The Minister will also talk about possible cooperation in the sphere of defense industry with the Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry and hold a meeting with the Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. During his stay in Ankara, Minister Aaviksoo will give a speech about cyber defense in the National Defense College, pay a visit to the NATO Centre of Excellence for Fight against Terrorism and lay a wreath on the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

The Republic of Estonia to bestow state decoration to the Turkish Minister of Agriculture

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:36:55 GMT

The President of Estonia has decided to award the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana to the Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Life, Mr. Mehmet Mehdi Eker, to acknowledge the initiative of Minister Eker in establishing the co-operation between Estonia and Turkey in the sphere of agriculture.

Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture in Ankara

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:19:14 GMT

Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture Mr Ants Noot is in Ankara for a visit on 12 - 14 January. In the meetings with Turkish counterparts the main topics will be Turkey's progress towards joining the European Union, as well as rural development and agricultural policy in general. Estonian-Turkish relations in the field of agriculture are very good and thriving – last year there were sold several hundreds of bovines from Estonia to Turkey.

In addition to meetings with Turkish counterparts, Mr Noot will also take part in the kick-off of the first twinning project with Estonian participation in Turkey.

An unforgettable evening with Estonian girls’ choir ELLERHEIN

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:22:24 GMT

President Ilves: the European Union will not be complete without Turkey

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:59:31 GMT

“Turkey, as a large country between Europe and Asia, is an exceptionally important balancing factor, not solely for the problems of its own region but in a much wider context,” said President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, at today’s meeting with the Turkish Head of State, Mr. Abdullah Gül.

President Ilves, who arrived in Ankara for an official visit, assured Estonia’s steady support for Turkey’s convergence with the European Union and the reforms to be implemented for that purpose.

“The European Union will not be complete without Turkey,” emphasised the Estonian Head of State.

“All the friends of Turkey have two huge tasks – to prove to those who look upon enlargement with scepticism in the European Union that Turkey is committed to democratic reforms and to help the Turkish government show their people that these reforms are necessary, especially to improve the living standards of Turkish people,” said the Estonian Head of State.

President Ilves made an entry into the book of honours in the mausoleum of Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President “I pay my homage to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, an outstanding statesman, who realised that only modernisation and reforms allow us to create a modern society. This is how he shaped the face of the world and paved a way for Turkey into today’s Europe.”

President Ilves reminded that Turkey is a good friend of Estonia and a strong ally in NATO: Turkey was the first member of the alliance in the South-Eastern Europe and Mediterranean region to secure the airspace of the Baltic states; now Turkey is ready to send its representative to the NATO Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn.

“I am sure that the economic and trade relations between Estonia and Turkey will bounce back in the near future; and we are certainly still interested in launching direct flights between the two countries,” the Estonian Head of State admitted.

Presidents Ilves and Mr. Gül also touched upon the crisis centres in the region.

“Estonia wants the issue of Cyprus to be resolved in the interests of the Cypriot people, Turkey, and Greece as well as also Estonia’s interests, as this is an issue that is hampering the very co-operation between NATO and the European Union,” President Ilves stated.

The Estonian and Turkish heads of state also discussed the developments in the search for solutions to the Mountain Karabakh conflicts and the situation in Afghanistan, where the defence force members of both countries serve in the NATO-led security forces.

“However, NATO’s success in Afghanistan is not solely dependent on the courage of the troops of the alliance but as much or even more on the ability of the Afghan government to assume control in the country and to what extent NATO and our allies can increase their civil contribution. Of course, stability in Pakistan is also a contributing factor,” President Ilves said. “Here, Turkey has taken a leading role in initiating regional co-operation in this area, as well as organising top-level communication between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

When speaking about energy security, the Estonian Head of State assured that Turkey plays a strategic role in ensuring alternative energy supply to the European Union.

According to President Ilves, this year and the next will be especially important for the cultural relations between Estonia and Turkey.

“Istanbul will be the cultural capital of Europe in 2010 and Tallinn will take over this role in 2011, which gives us a good opportunity for co-operation in the sphere of cultural projects. For example, the plans include the organisation of a week of Estonian culture in Istanbul, which would see the premier of “Adam’s Lament” by Arvo Pärt on 7^th June of this year,” said President Ilves.

President Ilves departed today for visit to Turkey

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:37:17 GMT

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Evelin Ilves departed today for an official visit to the Republic of Turkey.

The Head of State will meet with the Turkish president, Mr. Abdullah Gül, the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the Chairman of the Turkish General Assembly, Mr. Mehmet Ali Şahin. President Ilves will also give a lecture at Bilkent University, Ankara.

President Ilves will meet with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, in Istanbul.

From Turkey, President Ilves and Mrs. Evelin Ilves will proceed to the Republic of Poland, where they will be present at the funeral ceremony of the President of Poland, Mr. Lech Kaczyński, and his wife Maria on Sunday in Krakow.

Estonia to reintroduce border control at its internal borders during the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:31:01 GMT

For security reasons, Estonia will reintroduce border control at its internal borders during the unofficial meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers from 17 – 23 April in Tallinn. To ensure the highest possible level of public policy and internal security, controls at the border will be introduced at Estonia’s border with Latvia and at ports and airports.

Border controls will be carried out in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code and State Borders Act.

First-ever Trilateral Political Consultations With Finland and Turkey Took Place on Secretary General Level

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:46:12 GMT

Trilateral political consultations between Estonia, Finland and Turkey took place on Monday, 8 February in Ankara. It was the first time ever the consultations were held together with Finland. “Since Estonia and Finland’s policies towards Turkey are practically identical, we decided to hold consultations together with Finland this time,” said Foreign Ministry Secretary General Marten Kokk. The secretary general said that during the meeting with his Finnish colleague Pertti Torstila and Turkish colleague Feridun Sinirlioglu they primarily focused on Turkey’s accession to the European Union.

Foreign Ministry Secretary General Marten Kokk stated that Estonia and Finland continue to support Turkey’s desire to join the European Union. “Estonia is still a strong supporter of Turkey joining the European Union. Although Turkey has made great progress in implementing reforms, there is still much to be done, and the pace of reforms should be accelerated so that Turkey can move forward and open new chapters,” noted Kokk.

Secretary General Kokk said that Turkey’s primary challenges are related to building up rule of law to ensure democracy and the functioning of the economy, which are essential prerequisites for joining the European Union. Secretary General Kokk confirmed that Estonia is prepared to share its accession experiences with Turkey. Secretary General Kokk also said that the parties involved should be actively working on resolving the Cyprus problem. “We feel that it is necessary to successfully conclude the Cyprus dialogue and resolve the island’s problems under UN auspices. This is vital for the people of Cyprus as well as Turkey and the European Union in general,” emphasised Kokk.

During their meeting, the secretaries general also addressed the situation in the Western Balkans. “Estonia firmly supports the European Union prospects of the Western Balkan countries, as they offer the region an opportunity for stability and socio-economic growth,” said Kokk. They also spent some time discussing matters related to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Recently Turkey has been active in trying to find common elements among the political communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The inability of the communities to agree on the political future and further reforms for the nation has created a tense situation which demands the focused attention of the international community,” Kokk noted.

Also under discussion at the meeting were matters related to the Southern Caucasus. “We should use all opportunities to gradually reach a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” said Kokk, adding that Estonia welcomes the regular meetings between the Armenian and Turkish presidents and between Azerbaijan and Armenia and supports the continuation of dialogue.

Ski Festival Organised by Estonian Embassy Took Place in Turkey

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:00:00 GMT

The Estonian Embassy in Turkey organised a spirited cross-country skiing festival in Turkey’s Bolu Province on Sunday, 7 February.

The snow and sun brought together around a thousand skiing fans from all over Turkey, as well as foreign diplomats from Ankara and Istanbul. The guests of honour skiing the course were Secretary General of the Estonian Foreign Ministry Marten Kokk and Secretary General of the Finnish Foreign Ministry Pertti Torstila.

The skiing was followed by an open-air reception dedicated to the 92nd anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.

The Estonian Embassy in Ankara would like to thank all of its partners, especially the governor of Bolu and the mayor, without whom this year’s ski festival would not have been possible.