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Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Generals, I am a representative of Estonia and represent the
investigation and military police unit of the Estonian
General Staff. I have been asked to give a brief presentation
on our co-operation experience with the Carabinieri.
Nowadays, the investigation and Estonian General Staff
military police unit is responsible for the co-operation of
the MSU within the Centre for Estonian peace operations. Its
main task is to co-ordinate all activities in Estonia and in
the area of the mission. Another task is the training of
personnel. In this latter sector changes are underway and we
are co-ordinating the development process. We started working
in international missions in '95,with a UN mission in Croatia
and today we are also in Iraq. At present there are almost
700 people employed in missions and it is an honour for us to
take part in these missions. Today I can easily say that some
of our men have already taken part in six missions. As many
foreign countries, we are good neighbours of the Carabinieri
and are part of the same family and our troops are in Kosovo
where we have a platoon - ESTPATROL-9, staffed by 22 men. A
total of 200 people were engaged in this mission.
These troops
have the capacity of carrying out limited police operations. As for
our plans for the future, we would like to continue our missions
and our co-operation with the Carabinieri and also enhance the
police capacity of our men in order to be able to carry out the
missions. This year the Estonian military police unit started
taking care of the premission training. In future we would like to
improve the system now available. We shall continue to work with
the peace operation Centre, but in future we wish to become
entirely responsible for the mission. I would now l ike to inform
you on our military police. We have a unit, a General Staff,
divided into several sections; we have some sub-units called
Estonian patrols. The co-ordination of these sub-units, that is of
the Estonian patrols is one of the main tasks.
The military
police section within which I work is responsible for this
co-ordination. Nowadays we already have ten platoons; it is the
first time the military police designates a platoon and a deputy
commander; in future we shall also have squad leaders chosen among
the military police. The training centre is in Tallin, our capital.
We have a training period and from one to three platoons train at
the same time. It is very important for us to be able to create
professional military police units. Today we mostly employ
conscripts who, however, are not sent on missions. The people sent
on a mission must have a specific training carried out in our
peacekeeping centre. This is part of my presentation. Now I have a
message on behalf of my Commander, the Chief of Staff; a message
for the Carabinieri Corps. Here is his message: "On behalf of the
Estonian police, the Estonian soldiers I wish to thank, the
Carabinieri Corps and its Commander.
I am very
pleased of the opportunity given to some of our officers to take
part in this seminar. The experience we gained by working together
with the Carabinieri is extremely precious. In this field, Italy
has played a fundamental role. Estonia truly appreciates this
experience; in the Balkan States we are the only ones who were so
fortunate to have this opportunity. Since 1999, when we started our
co-operation on a large scale with the Carabinieri Corps, our
co-operation with NATO has become more and more operational. 48
Today we are proud to say that we have already homaged the patrol
in Kosovo and I am convinced that all of the men involved will
honour Estonia by these operations and are important partners for
us. The Estonian defense forces are making good use of the
experience gained by co-operating wi th the MSU and their work as
peace co-ordinators to raise co-operation to a very high
degree.
Estonia has
started to establish its own professional police and what we have
achieved internationally enhances the interest in obtaining ever
more professional advice. The next mission will still be under the
Italian leadership, under the Carabinieri. It has been prepared in
co-operation with the Estonian military police and we have great
expectations and will always appreciate the experience of the
Carabinieri who are always highly prepared and willing to share
their experience and know-how. I therefore wish the Carabinieri and
the men at their service all the best on behalf of all my armed
force. I also have a present from the Estonian police and our Chief
of Staff to thank you for the co-operation and assistance. Thank
you.
(*) - Transcript from an audio
recording.
(**) - Captain of the Investigation and Military Police Department
of the Estonian General Staff. | 
