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Ansip: Through Visa Freedom, US shows Its Trust into Estonia

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Tallinn

Tallinn, Stenbock House, 17 October 2008 – Prime Minister Andrus Ansip welcomes today’s US application regarding Estonia joining the United States’ visa freedom programme. According to Ansip, the extension of the USA’s visa freedom is significant for Estonia, since through that decision the US shows great trust into Estonia and its citizens.

“The expansion of visa freedom and the additional security cooperation that it brings with it is a due continuation of our close mutual relations: we are allies not only on paper, but also in our actions,” said Andrus Ansip. The Prime Minister estimates that the USA’s reformed visa freedom programme makes transatlantic travel safer than before and simpler for Estonian citizens.

“Today we achieved a goal, which we have pursued for the last three years, and for which we have done a remarkable amount of work,” said Ansip, adding that despite achieving that goal, Estonia believes that it is important that all of the European member states join the US visa freedom programme, and intends to work towards that goal both bilaterally with the US and through supporting joint endeavours of the European Union.