Developing Relations with Russia Will Be Priority for Estonia

Estonia must try to restore its former relations with Russia. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this was announced by Estonian Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland at a press conference yesterday, devoted to Estonia's entry into the EU.

She said that developing relations with Russia will be a priority for Estonia. On the other hand, she said that much will depend on the willingness of Russia. None the less, she expressed the hope that after the current government has been in office for its term of four years Russian-Estonian relations will have become a lot closer and there will be even more extensive bilateral cooperation.

On the same day, according to Estonian newspaper Postimees, Russian Ambassador to Estonia Konstantin Provalov announced that to students and professors of the University of Tartu that Estonia's entry into the EU and NATO will undoubtedly change the nature of bilateral relations between the two countries. For this reason, he said, it is essential to resolve the problems that have built up over the years as soon as possible.