Australian-Estonian relations

Australian-Estonian relations

Australia	Estonia

Australian-Estonian relations began in 1921 and ended with the occupation of the country by the Wehrmacht in 1940. New bilateral relations between Estonia and Australia have existed since November 21, 1991.

history

Australia recognized Estonia as a state on September 22, 1921 after it was admitted to the League of Nations . Estonia was represented in Australia from 1919 to 1935 by the Finnish Honorary Consulate in Sydney . In 1935 Estonia set up its own honorary consulate in Australia. This consulate ended in 1940 when it was occupied by the Soviet Union in accordance with the German-Soviet non-aggression pact . It is reported that the tasks performed by the Estonian consulate have been turned over to the Swedish consulate. Such relations were no longer possible after the occupation by the Soviet Union as Estonia's separate diplomatic relations. In June 1941, Wehrmacht troops occupied the Baltic States , including Estonia . In 1944/45 the Red Army pushed back the German troops and the Soviet Union occupied Estonia. Only after the end of the Soviet Union was Estonia able to re-establish itself as a state, and diplomatic relations between Estonia and Australia were resumed for the first time on November 21, 1991.

The Estonian Embassy in Australia opened in Canberra in February 2015 . Estonian Ambassador Andres Unga to Australia is also accredited for New Zealand . There are Estonian honorary consulates in Perth , Brisbane , Hobart and Adelaide . The Australian Embassy in Berlin is responsible for visa matters for Estonians who are not resident in their country .

Australian diplomacy is represented in Estonia by the Australian Embassy in Stockholm and it operates an honorary consulate in the Estonian capital Tallinn . Mati Peekma is the local honorary consul.

Political Relations

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (left) with Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand during the Estonian state visit to Australia in February 2016

In July 1998 the then Estonian Prime Minister Mart Siimann visited Australia. An Australian delegation, led by Senator Sue West , paid the return visit to Tallinn in October 1999. Former Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith visited Estonia and traveled to a conference of ISAF Forces held in Tallinn in April 2010. Former Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet came to Australia in November 2011. Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand traveled to Canberra to mark the opening of the Estonian embassy in February 2016.

Economic relationships

The economic relations between the two countries are of little importance. The total in the period from 2013 to 2014 was AUD 60 million, from 2014 to 2015 it was AUD 51 million. Australia exported goods worth AUD 5 million in 2014/2015, mainly gold coins, money transfers and additives for mineral oils. Estonia exported mostly timber and analysis and measuring instruments worth AUD 46 million during the same period.

State treaties

Australia signed a mutual agreement with Estonia, called Working Holiday Maker in Australia , which came into force in May 2005. This allows young people from both countries between the ages of 18 and 30 to stay and work in Australia or Estonia for twelve months.

In September 2015, Australia and Estonia signed a social security agreement for people from the respective country who live and work in either Australia or Estonia.

migration

According to the 2011 census, Australia has the sixth largest Estonian minority outside of Estonia with 8,550 Estonians, after Finland, Russia, Sweden, Canada and the USA.

culture and education

There are relationships and projects between Australia and Estonia such as the Estonian Business School with Monash University .

The first Estonians came to Australia in 1853 and the first Estonian community in Australia was founded in Melbourne in 1914 . After the Soviet takeover of Estonia, some Estonian refugees emigrated to Australia who brought their Estonian culture to Australia. Because of the many Estonians who live in the Australian cities of Sydney , Adelaide and Melbourne, cultural houses, the so-called Estonian Houses , were opened . Deviating from this, the house in Adelaide is called the Estonian Cultural Center

Estonian culture is represented in Australia by Estonian artists such as the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir or the composer Arvo Pärt . Arvo Volmer was the chief conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for a long time . Estonian archives have existed in Sydney since 1952. They contain most of the works of Estonian literature that have been published outside Estonia since World War II.

Web links

Commons : Australian-Estonian Relations  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on relations with Estonia. Last accessed on May 25, 2016
2. ^ Estonia - Australia relations , April 6, 2015, on canberra.vm.ee. Retrieved May 28, 2016
3. ↑ Estonian Embassy in Canberra Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to open the Embassy in Canberra. Last accessed on May 25, 2016.
4. ↑ Estonia , on dfat.gov.au. Retrieved May 28, 2016
5. ↑ Working Holiday Maker , on workpermit.com. Retrieved May 26, 2016
6. ↑ Estonian houses , on eesti.org.au. Last accessed on May 26, 2015