|
On 9 – 10 September Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins attended the annual meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Baltic and Nordic states (NB8) in Parnu, Estonia. During the meeting, the current situation in Georgia, relations with Russia, perspectives of Ukraine and Moldova of Euro-Atlantic integration, the situation of security policy in Afghanistan, cooperation with countries of the Central Asian region, the peace process of the Near East and the European Union strategy for the Baltic Sea region were discussed.
At the centre of discussions was the involvement of the international community in settling the Georgia and Russia conflict, especially taking into account the visits of president Sarkozy of France, the presiding country of the European Union, to Moscow and Tbilisi on 8 September, during which agreement was reached on the decision of the EuroCouncil to send EU observers to Georgia. It is expected that a formal decision on sending a joint EU mission to Georgia, which, according to the agreement, should begin work on 1 October, will be passed at the regular meeting of Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 15 September.
"At present, the offer of member states of the European Union to become involved in the EU mission in Georgia is only taking shape, and Latvia too is considering the possibility of participating, with consultations taking place with the relevant ministries", stated Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins.
The ministers also exchanged views on the agenda of the EU, OSCE and UN concerning the Russian Federation, and were agreed on the need for a international donors conference for assistance to Georgia.
The Baltic and Nordic Foreign Ministers also discussed co-operation with Ukraine and Moldova, and the importance of their Euro-Atlantic perspectives in the democratic development of these countries. Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins drew the attention of his colleagues also to co-operation with countries of the Central Asian region, assessing the importance of these countries also in the context of energy policy.
During the meeting ministers also reviewed the security policy situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East peace process.
The issue of an EU strategy for the Baltic Sea region and its future course, especially in the context of the coming Swedish presidency of the European Union, was also on the agenda.
The meeting of foreign ministers in Pärnu was attended, at the invitation of the Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, by the Foreign Minister of Iceland, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, the Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Petras Vaitekunas, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, Foreign Minister of Finland Alexander Stubb, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden, Carl Bildt and the Secretary of State of the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of Denmark, Michael Zelmer-Johns.
The next meeting of the Baltic and Nordic Foreign Ministers will take place next year in Iceland, which will be the co-ordinating country of NB-8 countries in 2009.
(end of text)
|
