Foreign Minister acknowledges Latvia-U.S. strategic partnership

In a meeting on 13 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and Charles William Larson, Jr., the new U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Latvia, discussed the active political dialogue between the two countries and its further intensification, including the reinforcing of Latvia-U.S. parliamentary contacts in the future. In the conversation, Mr Riekstins acknowledged the strategic partnership between Latvia and the U.S.    

Latvia's accession the U.S. Visa Waiver Program was also mentioned. According to the Ambassador, a visit by experts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is due to take place this March. During the visit, the received Memorandum of Understanding will be discussed, and the criteria necessary for a visa-free regime and the technical issues related to its implementation will also be assessed.   

Ambassador Larson emphasised that Latvia has been, and continues to be, an excellent U.S. ally and noted that the U.S. government values highly Latvia's participation in the international peace-keeping mission in Afghanistan, as well as in the global struggle against terrorism.

The Foreign Minister informed the Ambassador about Latvia's involvement in the largest EU civil mission in Kosovo; the status of Kosovo and the situation in the Western Balkan region was also discussed. Special attention was given to NATO enlargement issues and the anticipated decisions at the NATO summit in Bucharest. In this respect, Mr Riekstins noted his recent visits to Ukraine and Moldova, and also co-operation with Georgia, for example, the experience exchange visit by the Central Elections Commission of Georgia to Latvia, as well as his upcoming visits to Croatia, Albania, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.      

The new U.S. Ambassador presented his credentials to President Valdis Zatlers on 12 February, thus officially taking up his functions.

   

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