The USA helps Latvia to control export of strategic goods [07 Jun 2001]

On 6 - 7 June 2001 representatives of the U.S. Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control are on a visit in Riga. The visit takes place in the framework of the co-operation between Latvia and the United States for fight against proliferation of the arms of mass destruction. The continuous and close co-operation with the United States in the field of export control enables Latvia to considerably improve and develop its export control capacity.

The aim of the visit is to hand over to Latvia the "Risk Report" database of the Wisconsin Project and to provide training for the Latvian experts concerning application of the database. The acquisition of the database is financed by the U.S. Department of Defense within the above-mentioned co-operation. Integration of the database into the Latvian system of export control will strengthen the country's export, import and transit control capacity.

On 6 June the representatives of the Wisconsin Project met the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Maris Riekstins as well as representatives of the Committee for Control of Strategic Goods. On 7 June a workshop is taking place, during which time demonstration of the database and a respective training will be held.

The Wisconsin Project is a non-governmental organisation carrying out surveys about proliferation of the arms of mass destruction. On the basis of its 10-year-long work, the organisation has developed a database "Risk Report", which contains information on more than 2 500 "dangerous buyers", i.e. persons and companies that are suspected of contacts with manufacturers of the arms of mass destruction. A number of American, European and Asian countries use this database in their export control systems.

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