ESTONIAN PRESIDENT CRITICIZES GROUP APPROACH TO NATO EXPANSION.

Following a meeting with German defense minister Volker Ruehewho said that Russia did not pose a danger to the Baltic states,Estonian president Lennart Meri said that NATO should not decideto admit new members simply on the basis of geographic units suchas the Visegrad four. To do so and to suggest that Russia hadsome special role in determining whether the Balts could join"smacked of appeasement" and reflected "the sameillogic as the use of the term ‘near abroad," Meri said,according to a press release from his office. Lithuanian foreignministry secretary Albinas Januska echoed these concerns in astatement to BNS August 23.

Estonians Mark 56th Anniversary of Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.