Estonian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Jaap Ora stepped down Tuesday in connection with President Alar Karis' recent visit to the country, during which comments supporting Ukraine were dropped from the president's speech reportedly at the ambassador's suggestion.

The issue, which had been simmering privately, became public this week.

Jõerüüt, whose ambassadorial posts included the UN, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Latvia, Finland and Sweden, said he would not have intervened in the president's remarks.

In response to Karis' later social media post, however, he countered that in positions of leadership, handling irritations is also part of the job.

Speaking on Vikerraadio's "Vikerhommik," Jõerüüt said that generally "Kadriorg and the Foreign Ministry have always aligned" in policy terms, though the president has the right to do as they wish.

Still, he stressed that with the war ongoing in Ukraine and international politics entering a critical period, it is especially important for Estonia's top institutions to act in sync.

The retired diplomat explained that changes to agreed-upon messages are usually discussed between Kadriorg, the ministry and the embassy as visits are planned.

"There should be some extraordinary reason" for making such changes, he said, adding that none were apparent in this case. Thus, he added, the change raised serious questions.

Asked to put himself in the shoes of an ambassador tempted to polish the president's text, Jõerüüt said he simply wouldn't.

"Kazakhstan or not, 99.99 percent of the time I would not go and change it," he underlined. He added that even with good intentions, meddling could "lead somewhere it doesn't need to go."

Looking ahead, he said the key question is whether the misunderstanding will be resolved calmly or whether there's still more hidden tension still lurking out of sight.

'Irritation is part of the job'

Jõerüüt said he doesn't believe Karis intentionally picked a fight with the Estonian Foreign Ministry. The president's pointed social media post on Wednesday, he suggested, reflected frustration.

"The president had had enough," Jõerüüt said, though the post didn't make clear of whom or what. But one aspect of the president's post just doesn't sit right with the ex-diplomat.

He noted that anyone in a significant leadership position — from ambassador to minister to head of state — constantly has to handle all kinds of irritating problems. "That's part of the job description," he said. "It never stops."

It's only human to grumble about it, he added, but handling it is a reality Karis will face throughout his term.

Jõerüüt acknowledged that Estonia does not often recall ambassadors, though it has happened for various reasons.

He also noted two long-recognized risks for diplomats: either becoming too enamored with your host country, or coming to dislike it too much and too soon.

Either way, he said, "you lose the clear perspective or neutrality essential for maintaining objectivity and balance." It's a pattern seen among diplomats worldwide.

Jõerüüt said it's possible nothing dramatic lay behind the incident, and that "everyone simply wanted what's best."

As far as he knows, Ora is a completely professional diplomat — but perhaps even Ora had grown "a bit too fond of Kazakhstan and that region."

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!