MELISSA F. WELLS AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA






STATEMENT TO THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE

MELISSA F. WELLS

AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA

JULY 16, 1998



It is a very special honor to appear before you today as President
Clinton's nominee to be the United States Ambassador to Estonia. This
is the fifth time I have had the privilege of appearing before the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations regarding confirmation as a
United States Ambassador. On this occasion, I hope to return to the
country of my birth and that of my forebears. Estonia was a free and
independent country when I was born there. To return to a once again
independent Estonia in the capacity of United States Ambassador would
be nothing short of a dream come true. I am deeply grateful to the
President and Secretary Albright for the trust and confidence they
have shown by selecting me to represent the United States in Estonia.


Estonia is a small nation of 1.5 million people. Since regaining its
independence in 1991, Estonia has undergone a remarkable
transformation. Estonia today is a regional model for reform, having
established functioning democratic and market-oriented institutions.
Since 1995, Estonia continues to record solid, annual GDP growth rates
of 7-8 percent. Since March of this year, Estonia became one of only
five new European democracies selected by the European Union to begin
formal accession negotiations. With its freely convertible currency,
balanced budget, and with 80 percent of all businesses privatized,
Estonia has become known as the "Baltic tiger."


United States engagement with Estonia and the other Baltic States has
been long and strong. During the fifty years of Soviet occupation, the
United States refused to recognize the incorporation of the Baltic
States into the Soviet Union. The Baltic Charter signed in January
1998 enshrines our shared vision of a Europe whole and free and the
place of the Baltic nations within that vision. Secretary Albright
said during her visit to Vilnius last year, "Perhaps no part of Europe
has suffered from the old pattern of geopolitics more than the Baltic
States. These countries lost their security, their freedom, their
independence, and their prosperity. And no part of Europe will benefit
more if we are successful in overcoming these old patterns and
replacing them with new habits of cooperation in the Baltic Sea
region."


If confirmed, I look forward to strengthening the U.S.-Estonian
bilateral relationship during the historically important and exciting
era that lies ahead for the Baltic region. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and
members of the Committee, for your consideration. I would be pleased
to respond to any questions you may have.


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