Foreign Minister Pabriks welcomes decision to close post-monitoring dialogue with Latvia

Latvian Foreign Minister Artis Pabriks welcomes a decision adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 26 June 2006 to close the post-monitoring dialogue with Latvia.

As the Latvian Foreign Minister noted, "On ratifying the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Latvia fulfilled all recommendations and attested once again that the level of protection of human rights in our country complies with international standards."

The monitoring procedure or, the monitoring of member states' fulfilment of their obligations commenced in Latvia in September of 1997 and concluded in January of 2001, after the initiation of the post-monitoring dialogue. At the 13 April meeting, the Assembly's Bureau decided to recommend the closing of the post-monitoring dialogue with Latvia, taking account of the letter by the Head of the Latvian delegation in PACE, Andris Berzins, concerning the measures taken by Latvia in fulfilment of the recommendations set out in the report of the Monitoring Committee.

The Latvian Foreign Ministry expressed the gratitude to the parliamentarians of the Council of Europe for the Monitoring Committee's long-term contribution and the positive assessment of Latvia's progress in societal integration.

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