Foreign Ministry intends to delegate foreign policy advisor to Riga City Council [20 Jul 2009]

On 20 July, the Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Chairman of the Riga City Council, Nils Usakovs. During the meeting the parties discussed the co-ordination of co-operation on foreign policy issues both in Riga and in twinning relationships with cities elsewhere in the world. 

As part of their discussion, Minister Riekstins and Mr Usakovs agreed to seek and opportunity to delegate a foreign policy advisor for work in the Riga City Council. "The capital of Latvia has a wide scope of activities and therefore we agreed to delegate a Ministry foreign policy advisor to the Riga City Council, similarly to foreign policy advisors being appointed to the President, the Speaker of the Saeima and the Prime Minister," Minister Riekstins indicated. The Foreign Minister noted that, in order to implement this idea, amendments are still needed to the relevant laws.

During the meeting, the parties discussed cooperation between the Foreign Ministry and the Riga City Council with regard to the elimination of cases of fraud against tourists in Riga. Mr Riekstins noted that the Foreign Ministry, at various times, has urged the local government to pay attention to problems faced by foreign tourists while visiting night clubs in the capital of Latvia and repeatedly being swindled. Mr Usakovs confirmed that an improved safety of foreign visitors would be one of the priorities of the Riga City Council the aim of which is to restore good fame to Latvia's capital as a secure and attractive tourist destination.

Both parties shared the conviction that Riga and Latvia should pursue a common foreign policy.

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