Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Artis Pabriks, to participate in an international conference on Iraq in Brussels [22 Jun 2005]

On 22 June 2005, Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Artis Pabriks, will participate in an international conference on current issues of Iraq's reconstruction, especially with respect to strengthening of international support to the Iraqi interim government, to be held in Brussels.  

More than twenty foreign ministers of the European countries, the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and Iraq's Foreign Minister, Hoshiyar Zebari, will participate in the conference. The delegates of the countries involved in ensuring peace in Iraq will discuss possibilities for intensifying support to the process of Iraq's reconstruction rendered by the international community. Together with representatives of Iraq's interim government, discussed will be internal policy processes, possibilities for Iraq's economic development and the process of reconstruction, as well as specific assistance projects, for example, involvement of Iraqi civil society in political processes, improvement of the educational system, and reconstruction of infrastructure.

In his address to the delegates, Foreign Minister Pabriks will speak about the political and security situation in Iraq and about Latvia's political support to the process of Iraq's transformation, stressing the need for the international community to engage actively in various assistance programmes. The Minister will confirm Latvia's readiness to continue its participation in the multinational force in Iraq and in bilateral assistance programmes. Artis Pabriks will inform the participants of the conference about the assistance already rendered to the Iraqi force.

Latvia has been engaged in the process of Iraq's reconstruction since May 2003, when it participated in the US led operation. Currently Latvia has 130 troops in the multinational force under Polish command. The Saeima (Latvia's parliament) has extended their mandate until 31 December 2005. Latvia is also engaged in the programme for reconstruction of Iraq and promotion of democracy. As part of the programme, representatives of Iraq's Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works visited Latvia last year to get acquainted with Latvia's municipal experience. A training project for Iraqi experts in monument preservation has already been implemented in Riga.  

Latvia established bilateral diplomatic relations with the Republic of Iraq on 15 October 2004.