TALLINN. June 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Estonia is not planning to deploy NATO bases on its territory, Defense Ministry spokesman Madis Mikko told Interfax on Saturday.
"The question about a desire to deploy bases on the territory of foreign countries should be addressed to the U.S. or NATO. Estonia does not have such plans and it is not holding such negotiations," he said.
When Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic were joining NATO, the alliance pledged not to deploy nuclear weapons or military bases on the territory of any new members. "The same promise is contained in the NATO-Russia Founding Act," Mikko said.
Commenting on Lithuanian Defense Minister Linas Linkevicius's statement on his country's desire to house NATO bases, Mikko said "the Lithuanian minister cannot speak for all the Baltic states."
Linkevicius said on Wednesday that the deployment of NATO bases on Lithuanian territory could improve security in the region and meets the country's economic interests.