Estonian foreign minister Urmas Paet said that despite their best efforts, it's ultimately up to nature to decide whether the NATO meeting can take place.
TALLINN — Continuing confusion in aviation due the volcanic dust cloud plaguing Europe’s airspace may force the cancellation of NATO’s informal meeting of foreign ministers in Tallinn, scheduled for April 22 and 23.
The delegations of 45 nations in addition to the 28 member states are meeting to discuss the military alliance’s future. Estonian foreign minister Urmas Paet is hosting the meeting, which he is calling the most important international summit held in [private_supervisor]Estonia since independence.
However the volcanic dust coming from Iceland may prevent delegation members from arriving in Tallinn then. On Monday U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already canceled her three-day visit to Finland planned for this week, but has not canceled her visit to the NATO meeting. This week’s Lennart Mari foreign policy conference has been canceled.
Paet told the Estonian Public Television program “Terevisioon” Tuesday morning that the European Union transportation ministers’ decision to divide the air space into secure areas gives hope that the NATO meeting can take place during the time when it was planned. Yet, he admitted that it’s ultimately up to nature.
“Tonight or tomorrow morning is the latest time to make the necessary changes,” said Paet.
Kersti Luha, a press spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Baltic Reports that there are currently no updates but that Tuesday night or Wednesday morning it will be decided.
Airspace currently open
Estonian air space was opened Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. and according to latest information from the Ministry of Economy it will remain open until 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. However, Rasma Ruuda, press spokesman of the Ministry of Economy, warns that conditions can change rapidly.
The country’s national carrier Estonian Air has reopened its Tallinn-Stockholm route as planned on Tuesday and on Wednesday the carrier plans to fly on schedule.
Meanwhile parliamentarian Urmas Klaas, chairman of the Riigikogu’s economic committee said he is not happy about the inactivity of the Estonian tourism companies in bringing back the dust-trapped tourists.
“Tallinn Airport was opened again last night but so far none of the Estonian tourism companies have done any charter flights to bring back their costumers,” Klaas told the press.
Around 1,500 Estonian tourists stranded in Egypt, Turkey, and Madeira. Only six flights took off or landed in Tallinn Airport since the Estonian air space was opened last night, according to Estonian Air Navigation Services. None of those aircraft belong to the Estonian carrier. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]Estonia since independence.
However the volcanic dust coming from Iceland may prevent delegation members from arriving in Tallinn then. On Monday U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already canceled her three-day visit to Finland planned for this week, but has not canceled her visit to the NATO meeting. This week’s Lennart Mari foreign policy conference has been canceled.
Paet told the Estonian Public Television program “Terevisioon” Tuesday morning that the European Union transportation ministers’ decision to divide the air space into secure areas gives hope that the NATO meeting can take place during the time when it was planned. Yet, he admitted that it’s ultimately up to nature.
“Tonight or tomorrow morning is the latest time to make the necessary changes,” said Paet.
Kersti Luha, a press spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Baltic Reports that there are currently no updates but that Tuesday night or Wednesday morning it will be decided.
Airspace currently open
Estonian air space was opened Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. and according to latest information from the Ministry of Economy it will remain open until 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. However, Rasma Ruuda, press spokesman of the Ministry of Economy, warns that conditions can change rapidly.
The country’s national carrier Estonian Air has reopened its Tallinn-Stockholm route as planned on Tuesday and on Wednesday the carrier plans to fly on schedule.
Meanwhile parliamentarian Urmas Klaas, chairman of the Riigikogu’s economic committee said he is not happy about the inactivity of the Estonian tourism companies in bringing back the dust-trapped tourists.
“Tallinn Airport was opened again last night but so far none of the Estonian tourism companies have done any charter flights to bring back their costumers,” Klaas told the press.
Around 1,500 Estonian tourists stranded in Egypt, Turkey, and Madeira. Only six flights took off or landed in Tallinn Airport since the Estonian air space was opened last night, according to Estonian Air Navigation Services. None of those aircraft belong to the Estonian carrier. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]Estonia since independence.
However the volcanic dust coming from Iceland may prevent delegation members from arriving in Tallinn then. On Monday U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already canceled her three-day visit to Finland planned for this week, but has not canceled her visit to the NATO meeting. This week’s Lennart Mari foreign policy conference has been canceled.
Paet told the Estonian Public Television program “Terevisioon” Tuesday morning that the European Union transportation ministers’ decision to divide the air space into secure areas gives hope that the NATO meeting can take place during the time when it was planned. Yet, he admitted that it’s ultimately up to nature.
“Tonight or tomorrow morning is the latest time to make the necessary changes,” said Paet.
Kersti Luha, a press spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Baltic Reports that there are currently no updates but that Tuesday night or Wednesday morning it will be decided.
Airspace currently open
Estonian air space was opened Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. and according to latest information from the Ministry of Economy it will remain open until 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. However, Rasma Ruuda, press spokesman of the Ministry of Economy, warns that conditions can change rapidly.
The country’s national carrier Estonian Air has reopened its Tallinn-Stockholm route as planned on Tuesday and on Wednesday the carrier plans to fly on schedule.
Meanwhile parliamentarian Urmas Klaas, chairman of the Riigikogu’s economic committee said he is not happy about the inactivity of the Estonian tourism companies in bringing back the dust-trapped tourists.
“Tallinn Airport was opened again last night but so far none of the Estonian tourism companies have done any charter flights to bring back their costumers,” Klaas told the press.
Around 1,500 Estonian tourists stranded in Egypt, Turkey, and Madeira. Only six flights took off or landed in Tallinn Airport since the Estonian air space was opened last night, according to Estonian Air Navigation Services. None of those aircraft belong to the Estonian carrier. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]Estonia since independence.
However the volcanic dust coming from Iceland may prevent delegation members from arriving in Tallinn then. On Monday U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already canceled her three-day visit to Finland planned for this week, but has not canceled her visit to the NATO meeting. This week’s Lennart Mari foreign policy conference has been canceled.
Paet told the Estonian Public Television program “Terevisioon” Tuesday morning that the European Union transportation ministers’ decision to divide the air space into secure areas gives hope that the NATO meeting can take place during the time when it was planned. Yet, he admitted that it’s ultimately up to nature.
“Tonight or tomorrow morning is the latest time to make the necessary changes,” said Paet.
Kersti Luha, a press spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Baltic Reports that there are currently no updates but that Tuesday night or Wednesday morning it will be decided.
Airspace currently open
Estonian air space was opened Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. and according to latest information from the Ministry of Economy it will remain open until 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. However, Rasma Ruuda, press spokesman of the Ministry of Economy, warns that conditions can change rapidly.
The country’s national carrier Estonian Air has reopened its Tallinn-Stockholm route as planned on Tuesday and on Wednesday the carrier plans to fly on schedule.
Meanwhile parliamentarian Urmas Klaas, chairman of the Riigikogu’s economic committee said he is not happy about the inactivity of the Estonian tourism companies in bringing back the dust-trapped tourists.
“Tallinn Airport was opened again last night but so far none of the Estonian tourism companies have done any charter flights to bring back their costumers,” Klaas told the press.
Around 1,500 Estonian tourists stranded in Egypt, Turkey, and Madeira. Only six flights took off or landed in Tallinn Airport since the Estonian air space was opened last night, according to Estonian Air Navigation Services. None of those aircraft belong to the Estonian carrier. [/private_subscription 1 year]
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