ESTONIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES SECURITY POLICY PRINCIPLES

The Estonian government on 14 November approved the country's security policy principles. NATO had earlier recommended the approval of such a document. In its final form, the document states that Estonia does not foresee any direct military threat in the near future but notes that organized crime, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and possible environmental disasters are possible threats to state security. Other non-military risks include mass migration caused by ethnic or economic disasters, international terrorism, and trade with drugs and weapons. Foreign Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves noted that the participation of the Ministries of the Environment, Social Affairs, Economics, and Interior Affairs in preparing the document, together with the Defense Ministry, indicates that security is not solely a military issue.