PRESS RELEASE, October 2, 1997.

Decisions at the government's special meeting.

The government met today at Toompea to attend to an agenda containingtwo items:

BALTBAT leadership, which included the military forces chief'spresentation on remedies implemented in defense forces after theKurkse tragedy. Deliberations followed. Findings and assessmentsreported by the governmental commission investigating the accident in Kurkse Sound during military trainingexercises.

The government resolved on the two items
(Please note: this is not final wording!):

BALTBAT leadership.

Having considered Defense Minister Andrus Öövel's and Chief ofMilitary Forces Johannes Kert's information on BALTBAT leadership,the government notes that the Chief of Military Forces has notmet with his Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts since the accidentnor checked with BALTBAT chain of command. Likewise, the Chiefof Military Forces has not taken decisive action on the questionof accountability for the Kurkse accident.

The government resolves:

The Estonian contingent of BALTBAT is to be immediately and decisivelysubordinated to Estonian Military Forces leadership;
The Chief of Military Forces is to call for a meeting of the leaders ofEstonian, Latvian and Lithuanian military forces in order to solveproblems resulting from the agreement signed on November 26, 1996.

Findings and assessments of the governmental commission appointedto investigate the accident at the Kurkse Sound military trainingexercises.

At the September 30, 1997, meeting the government receivedthe governmental commission's report and it agreed with its content.Based on the report, the government concluded:

Although the accident in Kurkse Sound, in which 14 Estonian soldiersperished, occurred due to a tragic confluence of circumstances,significant leadership mistakes in BALTBAT defense forces, especiallyin the reconnaissance unit, contributed to it.

The reconnaissance unit leadership failed to adequately evaluatethe risks posed by the unprecedented crossing of the waters andignored the most basic considerations of security and danger.The planned exercise was not permitted within the context oftraining and its success under the existing conditions was impossible.

The accident occurred due to insufficient control over BALTBAT'splanning and implementation of training. The accident would nothave happened had controls and follow-up been conducted in theprescribed manner.

Johannes Kert, Estonian Chief of Military Forces, signed an agreementwith Latvian and Lithuanian military leaders on November 26, 1996,in which he delegated a part of his professional authority tothe head of BALTBAT.

Thereby was created the possibility of BALTBAT functioning defacto as an army unit.
J. Kert exceeded his authority, delegatingauthority unlawfully to the BALTBAT head. His action also createdsubstantial confusion in the leadership of the Estonian contingentas part of BALTBAT, since correct and sufficiently accurate BALTBATand Peace Operations Center (until May 1, 1997, Estonian PeacekeepingInfantry Company) functions and assignments from PeacekeepingOperations Center for directing BALTBAT's Estonian contingentremained undefined.

For BALTBAT's Estonian contingent, de jure and de facto existingdivergence in chain of command had created a situation where substantivesupervision of training was lacking. The chain of command inthe leadership of the Estonian contingent of BALTBAT was basedon an illegal foundation and it did not work effectively.

Peace Operations Center, to which BALTBAT's Estonian contingent,i.e., reconnaissance unit, belongs, had become removed from supervisionand control over the reconnaissance unit.

The Chief of Military Forces and the Defense Forces Headquartershave not established standards for directing of training at BALTBAT'sEstonian unit, nor have they worked out an effective chain ofcommand.

BALTBAT has not yet been formed as an army unit. Until the endof 1997, training continues as a BALTBAT individual unit. Untilthat time, BALTBAT's Estonian contingent is subordinated to nationalleadership. The lack of legal basis for BALTBAT cannot be addressed,because it is being formed and its activities will be regulatedby agreements among the three Baltic states, which will have tobe signed by December, 1997, after completion of the trainingperiod. In Estonia, the Defense Ministry is charged with thepreparatory work for that.

Civilian control over the military forces is insufficient. TheDefense Ministry has not drafted the necessary legislative proposalsfor the establishment of civilian control.

The government notes that rescue operations were poorly conducted.The government considers it necessary to create district emergencycenters. Interior Minister R. Lepikson is asked to submit tothe government in one month proposals for the creation of districtemergency centers.