Minister of Defence Mart Laar and his French colleague Gérard Longuet signed an intergovernmental agreement that will enhance defence cooperation between Estonia and France.

According to Minister of Defence Mart Laar, France is one of the most active and influential members of both NATO and the European Union. “The armed forces of Estonia and France are already engaged in close cooperation in the Baltic Air Policing Mission and together safeguard maritime traffic against pirates off the coast of Somalia. Thus it is reasonable to take a step forward and take the defence cooperation between the two countries to a new level with the intergovernmental agreement,” said Laar.

The agreement signed today replaces the current agreement that was signed between the Ministers of Defence in 1994. The agreement defines the main areas of defence cooperation between the two countries, including the exchange of information concerning defence planning and arms procurement, education and training of members of the defence forces, and cyber defence.

Also discussed during Laar’s meeting with French Minister of Defence Longuet was the future of the Baltic air policing operation, cyber defence issues, and the participation of the members of the Estonian Defence Forces along with the French in the anti-piracy operation off the Somali coast.

“Not only does France regularly contribute to the defence of Baltic airspace with its fighter planes, but at today’s meeting, Minister of Defence Longuet expressed his support for making the current air policing solution permanent”, said Minister of Defence Laar.

Minister of Defence Laar also visited the Operations Centre of the Ministry of Defence of France, where he was briefed about the joint activities of the members of the French and Estonian Defence Forces in the anti-piracy operation off the Somali coast and about the on-going operation in Libya.

“The French military are fully satisfied with the completed activities and high professionalism of our vessel protection detachment and also wish to continue cooperation with Estonia next year,” said Laar after his visit to the operations centre.
In addition, Minister of Defence Laar gave a lecture this morning at a roundtable on cyber defence organised at the Sciences Po University, in Paris. Laar will also meet with Senator Denis Badré, who is the head of the French-Baltic friendship group of the French Senate.

Minister of Defence Laar returns to Estonia tonight.

Additional information:
Peeter Kuimet
Press Officer, Ministry of Defence
Phone 717 0116 / 56 56 41 88
peeter.kuimet@kmin.ee