15-17 July 2007

Military Committee Chairman visits Estonia Prime Minister Andrus Ansip of Estonia meets with the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, General Henault and the Estonian Chief of Defence, Major-General Ants Laaneots, in the Cabinet Chamber, in Tallinn, Estonia on 16 July. Background The Military Committee: NATO's senior military authority During his official visit to Estonia, 15 -17 July, General Ray Henault, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, met with Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, as well as other defence officials in Tallinn, to discuss Alliance priorities and how Estonia is enhancing its contribution to NATO.  General Henault is officially welcomed to Estonia by the Estonian Chief of Defence, Major-General Laaneots and an Estonian Defence Force Honour Guard in Tallinn on 16 July. Estonia's Chief of Defence, Major-General Ants Laaneots, welcomed the Chairman to Estonia and provided detailed briefs on the Estonia Defence Forces, including its efforts to modernize.  To mark General Henault's visit to Estonia, Major-General Laaneots, Chief of Defence of the Estonian Defence Force arranges for an Oak tree to be planted in front of the Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Force in Tallinn on 16 July.  The oak tree symbolizes the strength and perseverance of Estonia and is meant to be a lasting reminder of General Henault's visit. General Henault expressed his appreciation of the Estonian Defence Forces and in particular those Estonian soldiers serving in Kosovo and Afghanistan. "Estonia's contribution to the activities of the alliance is significant and this will only increase as Estonia follows through with its defence reforms and modernization programs," said General Henault. General Henault was also offered a briefing and a tour of Estonia's cyber defence facility, which Estonia plans to expand into a NATO Centre of Excellence.  General Henault and Major-General Laaneots, the Estonian Chief of Defence, are briefed on Estonia's new Cyber Defence facility, which is planned to become a NATO Centre of Excellence "Considering the magnitude of the cyber attacks that Estonia experienced in April of this year and the fact that these types of attacks can threaten all Allies, the creation of a NATO cooperative cyber defence centre of excellence will no doubt attract the interest of the other NATO Nations," added Henault.    General Henault is briefed by Estonian Navy Officials on its counter mine capabilities during his official visit to Estonia 15-17 July 2007 While visiting the Estonian Navy, the Chairman toured one of its newest Mine Counter Measures vessels, The Admiral Cowan, which together with the rest of the fleet provides security and a capability to remove old mines from the Baltic Sea.

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