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US President George W. Bush on Monday became the first sitting US president to visit Estonia, one day before he arrived in Latvian capital Riga for the first NATO summit since the alliance's enlargement in 2004.

Observers say that Bush's visits to the Baltic nations indicate that the three ex-Soviet countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, will play an important role in US global strategy and NATO's strategy adjustments.

Aides in NATO enlargement

On Nov. 28 and 29, Latvia's capital Riga opened to 26 NATO heads of state, including President Bush, and 5,000 guests to discuss Afghanistan and NATO's future role.

Political analysts said that choosing the host of the NATO summit on ex-Soviet soil sent a message to Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and ex-Soviet states moving westward that the door of NATO was always open to them.

Speaking just before the first NATO summit, Bush said in a speech at the University of Latvia that the organization would keep its door open to new members and hoped to issue additional invitations at its next summit in 2008.

In fact, the US had been backing the three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, in an attempt to help Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia move westward with their common background in language, history and tradition.

The Baltics signed several agreements with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, offered military aid and helped them carry out military reforms. The Baltics have become reliable partners of these nations.

Aides in Iraq and Afghanistan

While President Bush is becoming isolated by the quagmire of Iraq, the Baltics have remained unswerving fans of his policy in the Gulf country. With the Republicans' defeat in the mid-term elections and Iraq's worsening sectarian conflict, the three nations' support means a big deal to Bush's policy in Iraq.

Currently, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have extended the stay of their troops in Iraq regardless of the domestic voice for withdrawal.

In addition to Iraq, the Baltics have delivered full support to NATO's peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. Latvia stationed troops in the Central Asian state, Lithuania took up the reconstruction in one of its provinces, and Estonia reinforced its peacekeeping force from 5 to 130.

During his visit to Estonia, Bush described the former Soviet country as a brave and reliable partner in spreading peace and democracy. He said that Estonia was playing an active role in the mission in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Riga, Bush also extended thanks to Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, for the country's support of the mission in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2006)