Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Encyclopedia
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the senior minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in the Estonian Government. The Minister is one of the most important members of the Estonian government, with responsibility for the relations between Estonia
and foreign states.
The Foreign Minister
is chosen by the Prime Minister
as a part of the government. The current Foreign Minister is Urmas Paet
, who took the position with the installation of a new government on 12 April 2005.
Besides the Foreign Minister there are several Undersecretaries that assist in running the various divisions of the Foreign Ministry:
Islandi väljak 1, 15049 Tallinn
e-mail: vminfo@vm.ee
tel:(+372) 6 317 000
FAX:(+372) 6 317 099
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Estonia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia is a Cabinet-level governmental agency in Estonia in charge of conducting and designing Estonian Foreign policy.- History :...
in the Estonian Government. The Minister is one of the most important members of the Estonian government, with responsibility for the relations between Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and foreign states.
The Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
is chosen by the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Estonia
The Prime Minister of Estonia is the head of government of the Republic of Estonia. The prime minister is nominated by the President after appropriate consultations with the parliamentary factions and confirmed by the Parliament. In case of disagreement, the Parliament can reject the President's...
as a part of the government. The current Foreign Minister is Urmas Paet
Urmas Paet
Urmas Paet is an Estonian politician who has been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia since 2005. He is a member of the Estonian Reform Party. As of September 2010, Paet has been the longest serving minister since the re-establishment of Estonian independence.-Biography:Paet was born in Tallinn...
, who took the position with the installation of a new government on 12 April 2005.
Besides the Foreign Minister there are several Undersecretaries that assist in running the various divisions of the Foreign Ministry:
- Secretary General – Matti Maasikas: Oversees the Undersecretary divisions as well as Diplomatic Security, Protocol, and Internal Audit Departments, and is the second highest position in the Foreign Ministry
- Undersecretary of the Ministry, Political Affairs – Sven Jürgenson: Oversees and develops policy for areas outside of the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and runs the Press and Information division of the Foreign Ministry - Undersecretary of the Ministry, Foreign Economic Policy Affairs – Mart Laanemäe: Oversees and develops economic policy concerning foreign states for the Foreign Ministry.
- Undersecretary of the Ministry, European Union Affairs – Kaja Tael: Oversees and develops policy concerning relations with states within the EU and relations with the EU.
- Undersecretary of the Ministry, Legal and Consular Affairs – Aino Lepik von Wiren: Oversees the Legal and Consular divisions.
- Undersecretary of the Ministry, Administrative Affairs – Mati Vaarmann: Oversees the daily administrative and personnel tasks of the Foreign Ministry
| # | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919–1940: before World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... |
||||
| 1 | Jaan Poska Jaan Poska Jaan Poska VR III/1 was an Estonian barrister and politician.... |
1918 | 1919 | |
| 2 | Ants Piip Ants Piip Ants Piip VR III/1 was an Estonian lawyer, diplomat and politician.-Education:Piip studied at the Teachers' Seminar in Kuldīga , now in Latvia... |
1919 | 1919 | |
| 3 | Ado Birk | 1919 | 1920 | |
| 4 | Kaarel Robert Pusta Kaarel Robert Pusta Kaarel Robert Pusta was an Estonian politician and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.... |
1920 | 1920 | |
| 5 | Otto Strandmann | 1920 | 1921 | |
| Ants Piip (2nd time) | 1921 | 1922 | ||
| 6 | Aleksander Hellat Aleksander Hellat Aleksander Hellat was an Estonian politician and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. After Estonia had been annexed by the Soviet Union, Hellat was arrested on 24 September 1940 by the NKVD and deported to a prison camp in Siberia, where he died three years later.... |
1922 | 1923 | |
| 7 | Friedrich Akel Friedrich Akel Friedrich Karl Akel was an Estonian diplomat and politician, a member of the International Olympic Committee., and Head of State of Estonia in 1924.... |
1923 | 1924 | |
| Otto Strandmann (2nd time) | 1924 | 1924 | ||
| Kaarel Robert Pusta (2nd time) | 1924 | 1925 | ||
| Ants Piip (3rd time) | 1925 | 1926 | ||
| Friedrich Akel (2nd time) | 1926 | 1927 | ||
| Aleksander Hellat (2nd time) | 1927 | 1927 | ||
| 8 | Hans Rebane Hans Rebane Hans Rebane was an Estonian politician, diplomat and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.Rebane was Estonian envoy in Helsinki 1931–1937, 1937–1940 in Riga. He died in Stockholm.... |
1927 | 1928 | |
| 9 | Jaan Lattik Jaan Lattik Jaan Lattik was an Estonian politician, writer and a former Estonian Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.... |
1928 | 1931 | |
| 10 | Jaan Tõnisson Jaan Tõnisson Jaan Tõnisson VR I/3, II/3 and III/1 was an Estonian statesman, serving as the Prime Minister of Estonia twice during 1919 to 1920 and as the Foreign Minister of Estonia from 1931 to 1932.-Early life:... |
1931 | 1932 | |
| 11 | Mihkel Pung Mihkel Pung Mihkel Pung was an Estonian politician and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and Speaker of the National Council from April 21, 1938 to July 5, 1940. Pung was arrested by during the Soviet invasion of Estonia and sent to a Sosva, a Soviet gulag in Sverdlovsk oblast... |
1932 | 1932 | |
| 12 | August Rei August Rei August Rei VR III/1 was an Estonian Social Democratic politician. He was born in Pilistvere, Kõo Parish, Viljandi County.- Education :... |
1932 | 1933 | |
| Ants Piip (4th time) | 1933 | 1933 | ||
| 13 | Julius Seljamaa Julius Seljamaa Julius Seljamaa was an Estonian politician and diplomat. From 1933 to 1936 he was the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was born in Sindi , studied from 1899 to 1902 in Riga and became a teacher and later director at a school in Taali in the Tori Parish from 1902 until 1909... |
1933 | 1936 | |
| Friedrich Akel (3rd time) | 1936 | 1938 | ||
| 14 | Karl Selter Karl Selter Karl Selter was an Estonian politician and a Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1933 to 1938 and as minister of Foreign affairs from 1938 to 1939... |
1938 | 1939 | |
| Ants Piip (5th time) | 1939 | 1940 | ||
| 1940–1990: in exile | ||||
| X | August Rei August Rei August Rei VR III/1 was an Estonian Social Democratic politician. He was born in Pilistvere, Kõo Parish, Viljandi County.- Education :... |
1944 | 1945 | |
| X | Aleksander Warma Aleksander Warma Aleksander Warma VR I/3 was an Estonian navy officer, diplomat and painter.... |
1953 | 1963 | |
| X | August Koern August Koern August Koern was an Estonian statesman and diplomat. He was Estonian foreign minister in exile from March 1, 1964 to June 3, 1982.... |
1964 | 1982 | |
| X | Elmar Lipping Elmar Lipping Elmar Lipping was an Estonian statesman and soldier. He was Estonian foreign minister in exile from June 3, 1982 to June 20, 1990.... |
1982 | 1990 | |
| X | Olev Olesk Olev Olesk Olev Olesk was an Estonian politician and a former Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs in exile. -References:... |
1990 | 1992 | |
| 1990 to present | ||||
| 15 | Lennart Meri Lennart Meri Lennart Georg Meri was a writer, film director and statesman who served as the second President of Estonia from 1992 to 2001. Meri was a leader of the Estonian independence movement.-Early life:... |
April 1990 | March 1992 | Popular Front of Estonia |
| 16 | Jaan Manitski Jaan Manitski Jaan Manitski is an Estonian former politician, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.-Biography:Manistki was born in Viinistu, leaving with his family for Sweden the following year... |
April 1992 | October 1992 | (none) |
| 17 | Trivimi Velliste Trivimi Velliste Trivimi Velliste is an Estonian politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1994 and as the Estonian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 1998... |
October 1992 | January 1994 | Pro Patria Union |
| 18 | Jüri Luik Jüri Luik Jüri Luik is an Estonian diplomat and former politician. Jüri Luik has held the positions of Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Estonian Minister of Defense. Mr. Luik is currently the permament representative for Estonia in NATO.Prior to his current position, Mr... |
January 1994 | April 1995 | Pro Patria Union |
| 19 | Riivo Sinijärv Riivo Sinijärv Riivo Sinijärv is an Estonian politician and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.Sinijärv is the father of poet and journalist Karl Martin Sinijärv.-References:... |
April 1995 | November 1995 | Estonian Coalition Party Estonian Coalition Party Estonian Coalition Party was an Estonian centrist/centre-right liberal political party. Founded in 1991 by Tiit Vähi, it disbanded in 2001. The party was an observing member of Liberal International from 1998 on. It had a contacts with parties like Latvian Way and participated in the ruling... |
| 20 | Siim Kallas Siim Kallas Siim Kallas is an Estonian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Transport. He is also one of five vice-presidents of the 27-member Barroso Commission... |
November 1995 | November 1996 | Estonian Reform Party Estonian Reform Party The Estonian Reform Party is a centre-right, free market liberal party in Estonia. It is led by Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, and has 33 members in the 101-member Riigikogu, making it the largest party in the legislature... |
| 21 | Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves is the fourth and current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament... |
November 1996 | October 1998 | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Estonia) The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic party in Estonia, led by Sven Mikser. It has been a member of the Party of European Socialists since 16 May 2003 and a member of the Socialist International since November 1990.... |
| 22 | Raul Mälk Raul Mälk Raul Mälk is an Estonian diplomat and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. He was also head of the Estonian delegation for border negotiations with Russia from 1992-2005. Up to 2007 he was Chairman of the Board of International Centre for Defence Studies in Estonia.- References :... |
October 1998 | March 1999 | (none) |
| Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2nd time) | March 1999 | January 2002 | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Estonia) The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic party in Estonia, led by Sven Mikser. It has been a member of the Party of European Socialists since 16 May 2003 and a member of the Socialist International since November 1990.... |
|
| 23 | Kristiina Ojuland Kristiina Ojuland Kristiina Ojuland was the foreign minister of Estonia from 2002 through 2005. In June 2004 she ran for the post of secretary-general of the Council of Europe, but was defeated, receiving 51 of 299 votes... |
January 2002 | February 2005 | Estonian Reform Party Estonian Reform Party The Estonian Reform Party is a centre-right, free market liberal party in Estonia. It is led by Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, and has 33 members in the 101-member Riigikogu, making it the largest party in the legislature... |
| Jaak Jõerüüt Jaak Jõerüüt Jaak Jõerüüt is an Estonian writer and politician. He was the defense minister of Estonia from November 2004 to 10 October 2005.... |
February 2005 | February 2005 | Estonian Reform Party Estonian Reform Party The Estonian Reform Party is a centre-right, free market liberal party in Estonia. It is led by Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, and has 33 members in the 101-member Riigikogu, making it the largest party in the legislature... |
|
| 24 | Rein Lang Rein Lang Rein Lang is an Estonian politician, a member of the Estonian Reform Party since 1995, and a diplomat. He is currently serving as the Minister of Culture.- Personal life :... |
February 2005 | April 2005 | Estonian Reform Party Estonian Reform Party The Estonian Reform Party is a centre-right, free market liberal party in Estonia. It is led by Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, and has 33 members in the 101-member Riigikogu, making it the largest party in the legislature... |
| 25 | Urmas Paet Urmas Paet Urmas Paet is an Estonian politician who has been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia since 2005. He is a member of the Estonian Reform Party. As of September 2010, Paet has been the longest serving minister since the re-establishment of Estonian independence.-Biography:Paet was born in Tallinn... |
April 2005 | ? | Estonian Reform Party Estonian Reform Party The Estonian Reform Party is a centre-right, free market liberal party in Estonia. It is led by Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, and has 33 members in the 101-member Riigikogu, making it the largest party in the legislature... |
Contact information
Estonian Ministry of Foreign AffairsIslandi väljak 1, 15049 Tallinn
e-mail: vminfo@vm.ee
tel:(+372) 6 317 000
FAX:(+372) 6 317 099
External links
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs official web site
- http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/estonia-e.pdf