Appearing at a forum organised by the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Brussels on March 21, President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers took part in an evening-session panel discussion, "Europe 20 Years After the Fall of the Iron Curtain." Members of the panel shared their ideas about what happened in Europe in 1989, the reasons for the collapse of the Iron Curtain, the issue of whether from today's perspective it can be said that there were any alternatives to the enlargement of NATO and the European Union, and the way in which relations with Russia have been developed by Western countries and by Russia's neighbours.
Recalling the work of the Latvian People's Front, President Zatlers stressed that the main goal for Latvians was to achieve national independence in a peaceful and legal way, thus ensuring the trust of the global community. NATO membership was important not just as a security guarantee, said the President – it was a process which entirely made sense in terms of returning to Europe and joining the world's most effective security organisation. In describing Europe's relationship with Russia, in turn, President Zatlers noted that there is still a "curtain of values" between the people of Latvia and the people of Russia – something that is exacerbated by the very different information spaces in which the two nations live. This, said the President, is reflected in the different views which Latvians and Russians have about democracy.
At the conclusion of the discussion, President Zatlers noted that it is important to focus on more than just success stories, among which Latvia's return to Europe can be listed. There is also a need to review and address the mistakes that have been made over the last 20 years. The President particularly pointed to Europe's inability to ensure stability in the Balkans and to the need now to ensure that the countries in that region can become integrated into Europe's political and security structures.
The panel discussion was chaired by Anne Applebaum, and other participants included Swedish Foreign Minister Karl Bildt, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, and US Senator George Voinovich.
While in Brussels, President Zatlers also took part in a discussion on evaluating the crimes of totalitarian regimes. That discussion was organised by Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius.
President's Chancery
