Latvia's Foreign Minister meets with the President of the US Committee on NATO [06 Dec 2002]

On 5 December 2002 Latvia's Foreign Minister Sandra Kalniete met with the President of the US Committee on NATO, Bruce Jackson.

Ms Kalniete expressed gratitude to the US Committee on NATO for the support rendered in Latvia's accession to NATO and for Mr Jackson's personal contribution in fostering the decisions on NATO enlargement. While preparing for NATO membership, Latvia has experienced the importance of support from the allies, whatever their status ��� that of a state or of a non-governmental organisation.

The Minister stressed that Latvia is interested in a strong NATO and is therefore ready to support NATO policy and operations, to give its contribution to the implementation of NATO objectives and strengthening of its military capacities. Latvia is committed to continue reforms and development of the defence system after the Prague Summit.

Mr Bruce Jackson informed about a new recently initiated long-term project, which is aimed at the countries not yet qualified for the EU and NATO membership. The project aims to facilitate the process of reforms in the new European democracies and to promote a dialogue among democratic institutions: social, educational, religious and political. It also seeks to explore the opportunities in the countries under totalitarian regimes.

The US Committee on NATO is a public organisation, which promotes a discussion on NATO enlargement in the US, and co-operates with the NATO candidate countries, including Latvia, in developing information policy and activities in Washington. The Committee has a remarkable influence within Washington's political circles. The US Committee on NATO launched the so-called Vilnius 10 initiative in May 2000, thereby also starting a discussion on NATO enlargement. The Committee headed by Bruce Jackson managed to provoke a discussion not only in the US but also in other NATO member states on the necessity for admission of new members to the Alliance.

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