Following the first working group meeting of Latvia's Delegation for Negotiations on Accession to NATO, a press conference was held on 27 November 2002 in the Latvian Foreign Ministry by the Head of Delegation, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Maris Riekstins, and his Deputy, Defence Ministry State Secretary Edgars Rinkevics.

Mr Riekstins informed the audience of the next steps Latvia will take to become a full-fledged member of the Alliance. Accession negotiations will be held in two stages. For the first stage two rounds of talks are planned on 4 and 11 December in Brussels, at which Latvia will affirm its readiness and determination to accept the political-economic, military and defence, financial, protection of information and legal requirements for NATO membership. The size of Latvia's contribution to NATOâÀ™s common budget will also be decided.

The second stage is scheduled for January 2003, when Latvia will prepare a timetable of reforms. Concurrently NATO specialists are expected to visit Latvia. Late in January or early in February representatives of Latvia will meet in Brussels with the representatives of the 19 NATO member states to endorse the timetable. The reform timetable will be the continuation of the current NATO Membership Action Plan, and will specify concrete tasks and time-frames. At the conclusion of the talks, the delegation will report to the Cabinet of Ministers on the results of the negotiations.

Accession negotiations will conclude at the end of March when the Minister of Foreign Affairs will present to the NATO Secretary General a letter affirming Latvia's commitment to NATO policies and the timetable of reforms attached. After the NATO member states receive these letters from all the countries invited to join the Alliance, representatives of NATO member states will sign Accession Protocols that will be passed on for ratification to the respective parliaments. Following the ratification by NATO member states, accession will have to be approved by Latvia's Saeima.

Mr Riekstins also announced that after signing the Accession Protocol in March 2003, Latvia will be invited to participate in the NATO Council and committees as an observer.

Mr Rinkevics noted as priority the following defence issues: further development of Latvia's armed forces as part of NATO; continuation of reform of the armed forces; definition of Latvia's role in the combined forces of the Alliance, in particular NATO's collective operations, and Latvia's participation in the investment projects for common infrastructure.

At the working group meeting a division of responsibilities and duties was agreed upon between the institutions involved. The delegation is generally ready to commence negotiations in Brussels on December 4.

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