TALLINN, January 2 (RIA Novosti correspondent Igor Klyuyev) - A memorandum of the defense departments of the three Baltic countries - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - on the activity, management and financing of the Baltic Defense College (BALTDEFCOL) in the Estonian city of Tartu, came into effect from January 1, 2004, Estonian defense ministry spokesman Madis Mikko said Friday.
In his words, the heads of defense departments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania took the decision to refuse foreign financing in the end of last year.
The memorandum, or "Baltification", as Mikko put it, also envisages that a representative of one of the Baltic countries will manage the military educational establishment.
However, in Mikko's words, this does not mean BALTDEFCOL will refuse services of foreign educators. Up to now, Danish Brigadier General Mikael Klemmesen has headed the educational establishment, he recalled.
The spokesman also said the Baltic countries will equally provide funds for BALTDEFCOL maintenance to the total of 187,000 euros.
