The Foreign Affairs Committee keeps future relations between Estonia and Asia under focus

NordenBladet —

Today, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) discussed the report on future relations between Estonia and Asia, prepared in cooperation of four Estonian universities. The Committee considers continuing discussions on the Asian region one of its priorities.

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson said that the Foreign Affairs Committee had started hearings on Asian strategy more than 10 years ago. On the basis the hearings, the report “The Opportunities and Interests of Estonia in Asia until 2025” was prepared in 2012. “The Foreign Affairs Committee has kept discussions on Asia as one of its areas of interest for years. Our aim in launching the debate was to draw attention to developments in Asia and the opportunities connected with them, so that there would be an interest to address them in Estonia. The report on future relations between Estonia and Asia presented today confirms that cooperation between Estonian research institutions and sectors is well under way and provides a good basis for future policy choices. It is important that the good cooperation would continue soon with even more detailed studies,” he explained, and added that the Foreign Affairs Committee would also keep topics relating to Asia under its continued attention.

The report on the future relations between Estonia and Asia was commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and prepared in the cooperation of the researchers from the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, the Estonian Business School and the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. The report analyses the developments that may have an impact on Estonia and Estonia’s cooperation with Asian countries in 2022–2030.

The report outlines four possible scenarios for the future, depending on what the economic, political and environmental situation will be like, and the ability to cooperate despite differences in values. The authors of the report also give their recommendations on the areas in which Estonia should cooperate with the countries of Asia and present proposals for follow up studies.

Report on the future relations between Estonia and Asia

Source: Parliament of Estonia