Foreign Minister and French Secretary of State for European Affairs sign memorandum on French language teaching

On 31 March Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the Secretary of State for European Affairs of France, made a visit to Latvia. During the visit, Mr Jouyet met with representatives of the Foreign Ministry and discussed current events within the EU, including France's priorities for its presidency of the EU in the second half of 2008.    

At the meeting with Foreign Ministry State Secretary Normans Penke, the parties considered Latvia-France bilateral collaboration, especially noting the active ties in culture. Mr Penke and Mr Jouyet voiced satisfaction with the festivals Parsteidzosa Latvija (Surprising Latvia) in 2005 in France and Francijas pavasaris (French Spring) in 2007 in Latvia, which resonated on an international level.    

The French Secretary of State for European Affairs provided information on France's priorities for its EU presidency. The parties shared opinions both on the newly established Reflection Group, with Vaira Vike-Freiberga as its Deputy Chairperson, and on the future prospects for Europe.

The government representatives of Latvia and France exchanged experience on formats of regional co-operation, and their role in Europe. The Latvian side briefed on its presidency at the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the upcoming summit of CBSS member states, which is due to take place on 3 and 4 June in Riga. Mr Jouyet, in turn, mentioned France's initiative of the Union for the Mediterranean and its key priorities in the areas of environment, civil security, and energy.   

Within the framework of the visit, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and the French Secretary of State for European Affairs signed the Agreement between the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on Mutual Protection of Classified Information and the Memorandum between the Republic of Latvia, the French Republic, the International Organisation of the Francophonie, the Kingdom of Belgium, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on the Multiannual Programme of French Language Teaching in Public Administration Institutions of Latvia. "For the Latvian representatives, to be able to successfully work in EU institutions, as well in preparation for Latvia's presidency of the EU in 2015, the teaching of French takes an increasingly vital role in the education of civil servants," commented Minister Riekstins.   

Press conference of Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and French Secretary of State for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet (in Latvian | in French | in original languages) audio files 6.5 MB

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