Finnish president: World has lost a great statesman

The Estonian nation has lost an outstanding leader and pathfinder and the world a great statesman in Lennart Meri, Finnish President Tarja Halonen says.

"We received with deep sorrow the news about the death of Estonia's former President Lennart Meri," the statement on the Finnish president's website reads.

The Finnish nation lost in Lennart Meri a close and sincere friend and the world, a great statesman who was one of the leading architects of the post-Cold War world, Halonen said.

This is an especially big bereavement for the Estonian people who have lost a prominent leader and pathfinder. According to Halonen, Meri's statesmanship and personal courage played a big role in the restoration of Estonia's independence, democratic development and winning international recognition.

Halonen said she personally lost a colleague whom she had over many years learned to appreciate as a seasoned diplomat and statesman. The Finnish president expressed condolences to Meri's family and the Estonian nation.

Finnish PM: Meri gave the face to Estonia's freedom

Lennart Meri gave the face to Estonia after independence from the Soviet Union, the head of the Finnish government, Matti Vanhanen, said.

"Meri was one of the persons who recreated the independent Estonia. As the first (post-Soviet) president, he gave the face to Estonia's freedom. The whole world learned to know Estonia through him," Vanhanen, who is currently on a visit to India, told Finnish news agency STT.

The premier said he was very sad to learn about Meri's death also because they were personally acquainted.

Vanhanen said he got to know Meri in the framework of the convention drafting the European Union's first constitution at which Meri represented Estonia. He said he remembers the former president as a very humane person.

"He left behind a very warm memory," the head of the Finnish government said, adding that Meri always showed interest in Finland and the Finnish culture in particular.

Estonia and Finland developed very close relations during Meri's tenure and Meri's extraordinary personality played a key role in this, Vanhanen said.

Meri, who served as the president of Estonia in 1992-2001, passed away in the early hours of Tuesday after a long and grave illness, the president's office reported today.

BNS 14.3.2006