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DE RUEHTL #0076 0571348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261348Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0515
INFO RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 6718
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 2975
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 5273
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2577

UNCLAS TALLINN 000076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR KATHERINE GARRY EUR/NB AND TIM KATSAPIS INS/WMDT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KNNP RU EN
SUBJECT: WELCOMING ESTONIA INTO THE GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO 
COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM 
 
REFTEL: (A) 07 STATE 168633 
    (B) 08 STATE 5399 
    (C) 08 STATE 11773 
 
¶1. (U) Action Request - please see paragraph (6). 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On February 21, the Ambassador and Russian 
Ambassador to Estonia Nikolai Uspensky met with Estonian 
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and the Estonian MFA's Director 
of Political Department Aivo Orav to officially welcome 
Estonia as a member of the Global Initiative to Combat 
Nuclear Terrorism (GI).  Both Ambassadors expressed their 
gratitude to Estonia for demonstrating a growing commitment 
to the global fight against nuclear terrorism.  The Russian 
ambassador commended the Government of Estonia (GOE) for 
its willingness to take a leadership role in furthering 
international cooperation in the area of nuclear non- 
proliferation (Ref A).  The Ambassador proposed the GOE 
consider hosting a May 2008 GI conference on the 
development of a best practices and information sharing 
portal (Ref C).  He also stressed the need to include the 
private sector in the development of GI best practices, as 
they are the owners and operators of much of the technology 
and equipment related to nuclear proliferation (Ref B). 
 
¶3. (SBU) FM Paet welcomed the words of encouragement from 
the two ambassadors, and stressed the importance of 
reminding non-nuclear countries that they are also at risk 
from the transport of nuclear materials across their 
borders.  Paet expressed the hope that Estonia's 
participation in the GI will set a positive example for 
other non-nuclear states, and encourage them to join.  He 
proposed a joint opinion editorial on GI with Secretary 
Rice and Russian FM Lavarov which would stress the 
importance of international cooperation to combat nuclear 
proliferation.  Paet indicated that if the USG and GOR 
agree to go with the idea, the GOE is ready to draft this 
statement.  Both Ambassadors agreed to convey this request 
to their respective foreign ministers. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) FM Paet also stated that it is not the GOE's 
intent to act as a passive supporter of GI, but to become 
active in the development process as well.  FM Paet 
commented that Estonia is ready to discuss organizing GI 
related events in the region. (NOTE: Pol/Econ and DAO will 
continue to work with the GOE GI POCs to obtain a response 
to the U.S. proposal that Estonia host a GI information 
portal development conference in May 2008.  End Note.) 
 
PRESS COVERAGE 
 
¶5.  (U) The meeting received coverage in the Baltic News 
service (BNS) on February 21.  The article reported that 
Paet wants Estonia to be an active participant in the U.S.- 
Russian Global Initiative to combat nuclear terrorism.  It 
quoted the Foreign Minister as saying: 'It is essential for 
the international community to take steps to prevent 
nuclear weapons and radioactive substances from falling 
into the hands of terrorists or nuclear facilities becoming 
the target of terrorist attacks.' 
 
ACTION REQUEST 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In addition to promoting international 
collaboration on non-proliferation, Estonia's participation 
in the GI presents a valuable opportunity to encourage 
Estonia-Russian cooperation.  We believe a positive 
response to FM Paet's request to do a joint United States- 
Russia-Estonia article at the Minister level on GI is a 
good one.  Embassy requests Department guidance on how to 
formally respond to this request. 
 
PHILLIPS