LATVIA: FOREIGN MINISTERS OF LATVIA AND RUSSIA AGREE TO CONTINUE EFFORTS IN ISSUES OF MUTUAL IMPORTANCE

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
Oct 23, 2008

On 23 October, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins was on a working visit
to the Russian Federation. During the course of his visit, Minister
Riekstins met with the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation,
Sergey Lavrov, with the aim of proceeding with a dialogue regarding
the issues significant for both sides. As part of the meeting, both
Foreign Ministers reviewed the topics of bilateral co-operation and
exchanged opinions on current developments in international politics,
including the situation in Georgia and other frozen conflicts.

At the outset, Ministers Riekstins and Lavrov commended what has
been achieved so far by both countries in the enhancement of the
legal framework and for the strengthening of economic co-operation
following the bilateral meeting in Riga in December 2007.

One of the key issues in Latvia-Russia relations is the launching
of the border demarcation process. During their discussion, Foreign
Minister Riekstins informed his counterpart, that the composition of
the Latvian side of the Demarcation Commission on has been approved
and the commission should set to work at the earliest possible date.

The ministers talked over the work of the Latvia-Russia
Inter-governmental Commission and the enhancement the legal framework
for bilateral agreements, including the alignment process for the
Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of
Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital and the
Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investment. Both parties
were of the same opinion that it is of vital importance to finalise
the co-ordination work on the agreements on fighting organized
crime, for the prevention of the threat of and the elimination of
consequences of emergency situations, as well as on environmental
protection. "The efforts by the Inter-governmental Commission experts
from both countries should be more intensive and dynamic," Minister
Riekstins pointed out. The next meeting of the Inter-governmental
commission has been scheduled for 11 November this year, in Moscow.

During their discussion, Foreign Minister Riekstins highlighted
issues regarding the crossing of the Latvia-Russia border, and stated
that long lines of trucks still remain on the border between both
countries. Mr Riekstins noted that border crossing issues should be
addressed more actively both on a bilateral basis and within the
European Union framework. Referring to the agreements achieved at
the expert level, Minister Riekstins addressed the issue for issuing
additional licenses on international goods transport.

At the same time, Mr Riekstins and Mr Lavrov expressed their
appreciation regarding the meeting and the co-operation initiated
between historians of both countries, agreed upon by the ministers
during Minister Lavrov’s visit to Latvia. During their meeting on 14
May, historians reached an agreement to organize a joint conference
on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in the middle of next year. "It is
important for historians of both countries to maintain a dialogue on
the complex issues of history and not to politicize these issues,"
Minister Riekstins emphasised.

Foreign Minister Riekstins also drew attention to the co-operation
between the two countries in relation to displaced cultural and
historical values. The Latvian side perceives this as a complex
co-operation for the retrieval of film originals located in Russia,
the return of museum exhibits belonging to Latvia, as well as for
access by Latvian researchers to archives in Russia.

The Foreign Ministers of Latvia and Russia also reviewed current events
in international politics, including the situation in Georgia. "At
present, the key task of the international community, including
Russia, is to achieve a long-term solution for the settlement of the
situation in Georgia," Mr Riekstins noted. At the same time, Minister
Riekstins accentuated that it was also important for conflicts to be
solved through peaceful means and on a dialogue that is based on the
observance of international rights and full adherence to principles
of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The ministers also exchanged opinions on the possibilities for
resolving other regional conflicts, for instance, in Transnistria
and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The working visit by Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, took place in
response to the expressed invitation by Sergey Lavrov, the Minister
for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in December 2007.

During his visit, Minister Riekstins inspected the renovated building
of the Embassy of Latvia in Moscow, met with members of the Latvian
diaspora and with Latvian students in Moscow. He also gave interviews
to the TV channel Russia Today, to the Associated Press and to the
radio Eho Moskvi.