ESTONIA ADOPTS DEFENSE GUIDELINES

. The Estonian governmenthas approved a defense policy for the country, the Defense Ministrytold BNS August 8. Apparently designed to prepare Estonia foreventual admission into Euroatlantic defense structures, the document requires that Estonia’s armed forces "must be able to cooperatewith NATO, the West European Union, and other institutions formaintaining stability in Europe, and must have a material andinformational base corresponding to NATO standards." Up to6 percent of the state budget is to be allocated to the armedforces. The document was worked out with the assistance of militaryexperts from Nordic countries, and of retired NATO generals, andtook into account Russia’s political and military policies andtheir implications for Estonia.

Baltic Deputies At US-Sponsored Defense Seminar