12:22 GMT, November 6, 2009 Yesterday morning, Permanent Undersecretary Riho Terras, met with General Carter Ham, Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, who is visiting Estonia.
At the meeting, opportunities for increasing the visibility and presence of U.S. armed forces in the Baltic States via common military trainings were discussed. According to Terras, the host nation support exercise Baltic Host 2009, turned out to be very successful in this field. “Such cooperation between Estonia and the United States will definitely continue and deepen in the coming years as well,” Terras said.

Terras also introduced to General Ham the Defence Development Plan 2009-2018 and its main capability development priorities.

General Ham recognised Estonia for being able to maintain defence expenditures at 1.86% of gross domestic product, even under difficult economic conditions. “The national defence model selected by Estonia – joining the reserve army with the professional units participating in out-of-area missions – is also a good example of how to use limited resources efficiently," General Ham said.

Yesterday General Ham also met with Chief of the Defence Forces Lieutenant General Ants Laaneots and Commander of the Estonian Army Colonel Indrek Sirel.