Foreign Minister Paet: President of the United States Ronald Reagan Offered Hope of Freedom to Eastern European Peoples

07.02.2011

No. 44-E

Today on 6 February, the 100th anniversary of the birth of United States President Ronald Reagan, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that President Reagan was a statesman dedicated to the liberation of Europe who offered the hope of freedom to the peoples of Eastern Europe. “Reagan saw clearly that the peoples of Eastern Europe do not want to live under foreign rule and decided to help them be freed from this rule. Reagan expressed strong support for the idea of independence in Estonia and the other Baltic nations,” stated Foreign Minister Paet.

President Reagan’s statement on proclaiming a Baltic Freedom Day and his declaration to the UN explicitly expressed that the United States of America condemned the continuation of the illegal annexation of the Baltic states and supported the efforts of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to achieve national independence.

Paet asserted that President Ronald Reagan knew that American itself could not be completely free and safe while Europe was divided and oppressed. “In declaring the ideal of freedom, no difference was made between great peoples and small peoples. The US government listened and was ready to help the representatives of all peoples under totalitarian regimes. In this way, one more important stone was placed in the foundation of Europe and the USA’s firm solidarity,” Paet added.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Europe and America are still very reliable partners to each other. “Estonia-USA relations today are broad-based and secure and look to the future,” Paet stressed.

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