An Estonian, head of the EUMM mission in Georgia?

(BRUSSELS2) A new Head of Mission is expected to take up his post at the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia). The Political and Security Committee (PSC) is expected to approve the principle this Friday (September 13). He is an Estonian, Toivo Claar, hitherto Head of Division at the European Diplomatic Service (EEAS), responsible for coordination and human resources policy. He thus replaces the former Polish general and diplomat Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, who left before the summer. The latter will not have left a very good memory, with too clear-cut and pro-Tbilisi positions, little appreciated by all the authorities on the spot, in particular Russian and Abkhazians, which had somewhat harmed the reputation of neutrality of the assignment. During the interim, the mission was led by Deputy Chief, Swede Gerard A. Fischer.

Trained across the Atlantic

College graduate in political science Erindale from the University of Toronto Mississauga (Canada, 1987-1989) (*), he became, after the independence of Estonia, Director General for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tallinn. Then entered fully into the preparation of negotiations for his country's accession to NATO and the European Union, first as deputy head of the Estonian mission in Brussels (1995-1998), then as director general for European Affairs in Tallinn (1998).

A defense specialist

Diplomatic adviser to Estonian President Lennart Meri (Union pro Patria) for almost 3 years (1999-2001), he was then appointed to the Estonian Embassy in Washington DC as a military adviser (2001-2002), where he continues to follow the matter of accession to NATO. He took advantage of his American stay to take a year of training at the Kennedy School at Harvard University (2002 – 2003). Returning to Estonia, he became adviser to the Minister of Defense (July 2003-September 2005), then was appointed Head of the European Commission's representation in Tallin (September 2005-May 2010).

A human resources manager

He joined the EEAS (January 2011) as soon as it was created, first as head of division in the "Resources planning" directorate in charge of establishing the administrative procedures and systems of the brand new European External Action Service, then the " coordination and human resources policy".

(*) His parents had emigrated to Canada from Sweden and Switzerland. His mother Liis Klaar, a sociologist, was elected in 1992 on the list of "Moderates" in the Chamber of Deputies, then is a member of the ProPatria party, and of Matti Klaar, an insurance agent.

Read (in the Financial times), in the letters to the editor his response to Sir Rodric, former British ambassador to Russia. The right and wrong signals to send Russia