On 1 December, media representatives are invited to the press conference of Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins about the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels and the meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Foreign Ministers in Helsinki, as well as other current events in foreign policy.
On 1 December, the regular Foreign Policy Council meeting will be held, chaired by Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, during which experts are expected to exchange opinions on the latest foreign policy developments and this year's upcoming events on the foreign policy calendar.
On 2-3 December, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will take part at the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels.
From 4 to 5 December Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins will participate in the 16th Ministerial Council meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Helsinki, Finland. During the meeting, it is planned to exchange views on security in Europe and the resolution of conflicts in the OSCE area.
On 2 and 3 December the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting took place in Brussels. During the meeting, ministers exchanged views on the prospects for the Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia and Ukraine, NATO relations with the Russian Federation and international operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo. There was also a meeting between the Alliance and representatives of Mediterranean Dialogue countries.
On 2 December the Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Latvia, Akira Nakajima, made a farewell visit to Edgars Skuja, the Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary of State.
On 4 December in Helsinki, during the OSCE Ministerial Council, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Ednan Karabayev. On the initiative of the Tajic side, the Latvian Foreign Minister also had a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Abdoulla Youldashev.
On 4 December, in the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, Karel Schwarzenberg.
On 4 December Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis met with the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Charles William Larson, Jr.
On 4-5 December, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins took part at the meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Helsinki, Finland. During the meeting, OSCE member state foreign ministers reviewed the fundamental operational principles of the organisation, including co-operation in strengthening democracy and the rule of law, thus promoting security in the OCSE area.
On 6 December, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will take part at the 14th meeting of the Baltic Council in Viljandi, Estonia. During the meeting, it is planned to review the results of the Estonian Presidency of the Baltic Assembly and of the Baltic Council of Ministers and the priorities of the upcoming Lithuanian Presidency in 2009.
On 6 December Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins took part in the 14th Baltic Council in Viljandi, Estonia, as part of which a joint announcement was adopted by the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers on the future co-operation priorities in 2009.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will participate in a meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) due to take place in Brussels on 8 December.
On 8 December, a meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) was held in Brussels with the participation of Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins. The focus of the attention was on the preparations for the forthcoming European Council meeting of the EU Heads of State and Government scheduled for 11 - 12 December in Brussels.
On 8 December, the ministers for foreign affairs of Latvia, Cyprus, Estonia, and Malta signed a common letter addressed to Jacques Barrot, the Vice-President of the European Commission (EC) responsible for Justice, Freedom, and Security. In the letter, the ministers express support for the EC efforts to conclude talks on a short-stay visa waiver agreement between the EU and Brazil, and express the hope that the agreement will be prepared in time for signing during the EU-Brazil summit due to take place on 22 December in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
On 9 December Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, as the representative of Latvia, will attend the funeral service of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Russia's capital city.
On 9 December, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Teikmanis, political director Peteris Ustubs, and Under-Secretary of State, Maija Manika, met with Laura Jewett, Regional Director for Eurasia of the U.S. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), and the institute's regional directors from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus and Russia. Also taking part in the meeting were other representatives from the Foreign Ministry, the Saeima and non-governmental organisations.
From 11 to 12 December Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will take part in the meeting of EU Member State heads of state and government in Brussels. The Latvian delegation at the European Council will be led by Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis.
On 10 December, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis met with the Ambassador of Honduras, Iliana Waleska Pastor Melghem, who is on her accreditation visit in Latvia from 8 to 11 December. This is the first accreditation of a Honduran non-resident ambassador to Latvia. Until now the only Central American states which had accredited their representatives to Latvia were Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
On December 10, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins in a telephone conversation congratulated the new Foreign Minister of Lithuania, Vygaudas Usackas, on assuming office. During their conversation, Minister Riekstins wished every success to his Lithuanian counterpart in undertaking the responsibilities of this position.
On 11 December, political consultations will take place between the foreign ministries of Latvia and Japan, which on the Latvian side will be chaired by Under-Secretary of State Edgars Skuja and on the Japanese side - by Noriteru Fukushima, the Deputy Director-General of the European Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
On 11 December Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis will make an introductory visit to Tallinn.
On 15 December Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the new Swiss Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Latvia, Gabriela Nutzi Sulpizio, as part of her accreditation visit.
On 11-12 December, a meeting of the European Council was held in Brussels. On 11 December Latvia was represented at the council by Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, but on 12 December the delegation of Latvia was led by Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis.
On 14 December, Second Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Inga Sarsune, departs for the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). Ms Sarsune will fulfill the duties of the Situation Centre Operations Officer in EULEX Kosovo, and contribute to the work of the mission. Prior to her appointment, Ms Sarsune was Second Secretary of the International Operations and Crisis Management Division of the Foreign Ministry Security Policy Department.
On 11 December, a meeting between the prime ministers of the Baltic and Nordic states took place in Brussels with the aim of discussing issues on the agenda of the European Council. Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins represented Latvia in this meeting.
On 16 December, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will receive the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan, Tleukhan Kabdrakhmanov, who is on a farewell visit.
On 16 December, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Teikmanis met with the Ambassador of Malta, Laurence Grech, who is on an accreditation visit in Latvia from 15 to 17 December.
On 16 December Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan, Tleukhan Kabdrakhmanov, who is on a farewell visit to Latvia.
On 18 December, as part of the annual meeting of the heads of Latvian representations abroad, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins will meet with Gilles Briatta, the Adviser and Secretary-General on EU issues to the French Prime Minister, and Christoph Heusgen, the Adviser on Foreign Affairs to German Chancellor.
On 17 December, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Arunas Valinskas, who is on an official visit to Latvia.
On 17 December, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins sent a letter of condolence to the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, regarding the tragic coach crash which occurred in Israel, causing deaths of some thirty tourists from Russia.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has approved its list of Contact Point Embassies (CPEs) in partner states and has entrusted Latvia with the duties of the NATO CPE in Georgia from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2010.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia notes with regret that on 22 December the member countries of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) failed to reach an agreement regarding an extension of the OSCE mission in Georgia.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins expresses deep concern over the escalation of violence in the Gaza strip over recent days, which has caused great numbers of civilian casualties.
On 30 December in Paris, the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of France, Bernard Kouchner, will convene an extraordinary meeting of the EU foreign ministers, in order to examine the situation in the Middle East in the light of recent events.
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