Minister of Foreign Affairs (Estonia)

Estonia

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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	February 2005	February 2005	Estonian Reform Party
24	Rein Lang	February 2005	April 2005	Estonian Reform Party
25	Urmas Paet	April 2005	?	Estonian Reform Party

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

Minister of Foreign Affairs (Estonia)

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Contact information

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