Consultations held between Latvian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries

On 28 May, consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Belarus were held in Riga. The Latvian delegation was headed by the Foreign Ministry's Under-Secretary of State, Edgars Skuja, and the Belarusian delegation by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Valery Voronecky.

During the consultations, the delegations exchanged information on domestic affairs and foreign policy priorities of both countries. In the context of bilateral relations, trade and economic co-operation, co-operation in investment attraction and transit issues were discussed. The sides voiced their commitment to finalise the demarcation of the Latvian-Belarusian border by the end of 2008.

The relations between Belarus and the European Union were also discussed. Mr Skuja noted that EU-Belarusian co-operation should be based on common European values, and indicated that the parliamentary elections in Belarus last autumn, which were held in line with international standards, will be a significant impetus for the development of relations between Belarus and the European Union.

The regular Latvian-Belarusian Foreign Ministry consultations were held in a businesslike and open atmosphere.

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