tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post4262964803067444777..comments2023-11-05T09:55:13.077+02:00Comments on Itching for Eestimaa: iceland squareGiustinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-27079202906275181312011-09-04T01:20:22.284+02:002011-09-04T01:20:22.284+02:00The case of Iceland is quite interesting. It actua...The case of Iceland is quite interesting. It actually gained full independence in 1917 although it shared its king with Denmark (like 16 countries today share Queen Elizabeth). It just wasn't very preoccupied with foreign politics because it usually made Denmark take care of that, albeit after its own sovereign wishes (like Liechtenstein and Switzerland today). Their common embassies displayed both flags.<br /><br />So, as Iceland din't get on the train in 1921 it had to wait until 1991.<br /><br />The then Danish foreign minister Elleman-Jensen writes in his memoirs how careful they were to word the note sent to Estonia in 1991 as a "resumption of diplomatic ties" rather than a "recognition" in order not to question Estonia's legal continuity. <br /><br />He even claims that it was sent just before Iceland's note of recognition but didn't gain the same attention since it was merely a resumption. However, I have not seen this order of events confirmed anywhere else, so I admit that I usually attribute this to his not insignificant ego.<br /><br />He also writes quite touchingly about how the three Baltic foreign ministers immediately went on a working visit to Iceland in 1991 and stopped in Denmark on their way back. The Queen had informed Elleman-Jensen that she wished to receive the three ministers, no matter how late.<br /><br />When they arrived at her summer palace after midnight a full moon shone on the palace yard, and she had commanded the entire life guard company out to salute them, which caused Lennart Meri to shed tears.<br /><br />Those were the days...Troels-Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16352302240715963641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-9796802949038161272011-08-30T18:22:45.141+02:002011-08-30T18:22:45.141+02:00Timeline of recognitions:
http://en.wikipedia.org...Timeline of recognitions:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_EstoniaJüri Ruuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16461485303087800905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-5445498585595058022011-08-29T15:22:06.616+02:002011-08-29T15:22:06.616+02:00have you read Vahtre's "Empire of Absurd&...have you read Vahtre's "Empire of Absurd"? it's a very good read, in English aimed at the Western audience from the insider's view. There are a few stories in there that are just so ridiculous-painful that if you hadn't lived it you'd never believe it. Such as the joke about toilet paper:<br /><br />two women meet on a street, one of them has a long string of toilet paper rolls over her shoulder. The other one asks:<br />"where did you get those, it's highly deficit"<br />the woman answers:<br />"they had them in the store on the corner and I stood in line for them for 4 hours but I wouldn't bother lining up, I got almost the last ones"<br />"oh. That's ok I suppose, I don't have a use for it anyways"Dorishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12942338677951019959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-87702950270631683902011-08-26T16:30:40.833+02:002011-08-26T16:30:40.833+02:00Lithuania was second. On 22th August 1991.
If you...<i><br />Lithuania was second. On 22th August 1991.</i><br /><br />If you happen to have the full timeline, could you paste it here?plasma-jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06485039580759398780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-78384042359467050532011-08-26T07:26:52.077+02:002011-08-26T07:26:52.077+02:00How long was Yeltsin really in power? August 1991 ...How long was Yeltsin really in power? August 1991 to December 1999? But I recall him as "out to (liquid) lunch" during the last years of his rule.Giustinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-83295913039544562242011-08-25T13:43:18.945+02:002011-08-25T13:43:18.945+02:00"Wasn't Russia second to recognize Estoni..."Wasn't Russia second to recognize Estonian independence?"<br />Lithuania was second. On 22th August 1991.Meelishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06624197502208867055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-20804113558133674502011-08-25T13:14:08.235+02:002011-08-25T13:14:08.235+02:00Autor on selle kommentaari eemaldanud.straighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12141193073279544282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-54852199638922062332011-08-25T12:55:36.141+02:002011-08-25T12:55:36.141+02:00Yep. Yeltsin's Russia on Aug. 24. The US and U...Yep. Yeltsin's Russia on Aug. 24. The US and USSR did so in early September. A lot of people credit Yeltsin for that, despite what happened later. "If it wasn't for Yeltsin ..." as they say. I'm not sure how Yelstin is remembered in Russia today. When I visited Moscow in May, I saw a lot of memorials to Lenin, but none to Yeltsin. Maybe there is one somewhere.Giustinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-6582913220708749512011-08-24T01:56:19.416+02:002011-08-24T01:56:19.416+02:00Wasn't Russia second to recognize Estonian ind...Wasn't Russia second to recognize Estonian independence?PTIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05618749081217592645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-5440808564925900132011-08-20T14:33:16.926+02:002011-08-20T14:33:16.926+02:00*Uffe Elleman-Jensen.*Uffe Elleman-Jensen.plasma-jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06485039580759398780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-70829095840299459552011-08-20T14:28:46.768+02:002011-08-20T14:28:46.768+02:00And talk about injustice - OK, the Republic of Ice...And talk about injustice - OK, the Republic of Iceland didn't exist prior to the world war, so it's natural that they had to recognize us at some point. But the Danes in August 1991 were like "yeah, we already recognized you guys back in 1921, so just welcome back, we never agreed with the occupation anyway". And during the putsch this Ulleman-Jensen dude publicly told Esko Aho that Finns shouldn't be such pussies about the Baltics. Yet, the Danes don't seem to get as much credit as Iceland does.plasma-jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06485039580759398780noreply@blogger.com