H.E.Philip Wallace Griffiths, the Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of New Zealand to Latvia, paid a farewell visit to President Valdis Zatlers today.

At their meeting, President Zatlers thanked the outgoing Ambassador for his work in enhancing and diversifying the bilateral relations between Latvia and New Zealand.

The Ambassador and the President discussed the prospects for future cooperation between Latvia and New Zealand in tourism and developing cultural relations, as well as possible cooperation in the framework of international structures.

The President and the Ambassador also discussed the results of meetings between NATO members and partner countries at the NATO summit of heads of state and government in Bucharest, as well as possible cooperation between Latvia and New Zealand in the context of the Alliance's peacekeeping operations. The President emphasized the need to expand coordination of both civil and military participation in Afghanistan in order to assist with the reconstruction of the Afghan state. The Ambassador and the President discussed Latvia's participation in the EU efforts to promote rule of law in Kosovo as well.

President's Chancery