Estonian PM hasn't received invitation to potential meeting with Obama

Photo: Mihkel Maripuu / Postimees

Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip had received no invitation by noon on Thursday to a meeting that some sources have reported is planned between U.S. President Barack Obama and Nordic and Baltic heads of government in Stockholm early next month.

That Ansip has received no invitation was confirmed to BNS by a spokesperson for the Estonian government.

The same was said to the media on Wednesday by representatives for the heads of government of Lithuania and Finland, while spokespeople in Sweden denied having information about such meeting.

On Wednesday evening, Finland's STT news agency reported with reference to a foreign policy expert that Obama might visit the Baltic countries on his way to the G20 summit in St. Petersburg in early September. A high official of the U.S. government on Wednesday said that Obama had cancelled the planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow but would still fly through Sweden to attend the G20 summit in St. Petersburg on Sept. 4-5.

A diplomatic source in Estonia wishing to remain anonymous told BNS on Wednesday that the U.S. head of state has invited the heads of governments of the Nordic and Baltic countries to meet with him during his stay in Stockholm.

Officially Obama will be visiting Stockholm at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. According to the office of the Swedish prime minister the visit of the U.S. president is «a good chance to discuss the political and economic developments in the world directly with president Obama and to present Sweden's views to him.»

Separately, Obama is scheduled to welcome the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian presidents in the White House on Aug. 30. The meeting in the White House will focus on security-related and economic cooperation between the United States and Europe, NATO transformation, cyber and energy security, as well as the promotion of human rights and democratic values throughout the world, the Estonian president's office said.

«Mutual consultations and an open conversation between good friends on issues that are important to all of us play a material role in strengthening the alliance between the Baltic region and the United States that forms an inseparable part of transatlantic cooperation in general,» Ilves said. «This joint meeting will highlight the significant transformations the Baltic states have undergone since restoring their independence two decades ago,» the US embassy in Vilnius said in a statement.

«Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are valued NATO allies, and the four leaders will discuss a broad range of mutual interests, including regional cooperation on shared challenges, energy security, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations, defense, and cyber cooperation. The Presidents will also discuss joint efforts to advance human rights and democratic values, including development assistance for emerging democracies around the world,» the embassy said.

According to Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite «the United States understands the challenges faced by Lithuania and the other Baltic countries and cooperation with the United States over the past few years has been more intense than ever before.»

This year marks 15 years since the signing of the U.S.-Baltic Charter of Partnership.