Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Estonia

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Estonia
Other countries · Atlas
 Politics Portal
view • talk • edit

The Minister of Foreign Affairs (Estonian: välisminister) is the senior minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Estonian: Eesti Vabariigi Välisministeerium) 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:

  • 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 Union, 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
1 Jaan Poska 1918 1919
2 Ants Piip 1919 1919
3 Ado Birk 1919 1920
4 Kaarel Robert Pusta 1920 1920
5 Otto Strandmann 1920 1921
Ants Piip (2nd time) 1921 1922
6 Aleksander Hellat 1922 1923
7 Friedrich Akel 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 1927 1928
9 Jaan Lattik 1928 1931
10 Jaan Tõnisson 1931 1932
11 Mihkel Pung 1932 1932
12 August Rei 1932 1933
Ants Piip (4th time) 1933 1933
13 Julius Seljamaa 1933 1936
Friedrich Akel (3rd time) 1936 1938
14 Karl Selter 1938 1939
Ants Piip (5th time) 1939 1940
1940–1990: in exile
X August Rei 1944 1945
X Aleksander Warma 1953 1963
X August Koern 1964 1982
X Elmar Lipping 1982 1990
X Olev Olesk 1990 1992
1990 to present
15 Lennart Meri April 1990 March 1992 Popular Front of Estonia
16 Jaan Manitski April 1992 October 1992 (none)
17 Trivimi Velliste October 1992 January 1994 Pro Patria Union
18 Jüri Luik January 1994 April 1995 Pro Patria Union
19 Riivo Sinijärv April 1995 November 1995 Estonian Coalition Party
20 Siim Kallas November 1995 November 1996 Estonian Reform Party
21 Toomas Hendrik Ilves November 1996 October 1998 Social Democratic Party
22 Raul Mälk October 1998 March 1999 (none)
Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2nd time) March 1999 January 2002 Social Democratic Party
23 Kristiina Ojuland January 2002 February 2005 Estonian Reform Party
Jaak Jõerüüt (acting) February 2005 February 2005 (none)
24 Rein Lang February 2005 April 2005 Estonian Reform Party
25 Urmas Paet April 2005 ? Estonian Reform Party

[edit] See also

[edit] Contact information

Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Islandi väljak 1, 15049 Tallinn
e-mail: vminfo@vm.ee
tel:(+372) 6 317 000
FAX:(+372) 6 317 099

[edit] External links

Languages