Foreign Minister Riekstins discusses Georgian presidential elections with Latvian Chair of Central Election Commission

On 14 January, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with Arnis Cimdars, Chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and with Prof. Andris Runcis, long-term observer for the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE ODIHR) - both representatives from Latvia who took part in the monitoring of the extraordinary presidential elections in Georgia on 5 January. 

During the discussion, both observers expressed their support to the conclusions by the OSCE and other international organisations stating that the elections in Georgia had been conducted in a transparent manner and in accord with international standards. The observers also mentioned certain shortcomings observed during the elections.

The Foreign Minister emphasised that one of the directions of Latvia's foreign policy in relation to the European Neighbourhood Policy is to provide assistance to Georgia in its democratisation process, and to share the experience which Latvia has acquired during the creation and strengthening of its own democratic institutions. Mr Riekstins indicated that a consistent enhancement of the reforms which Georgia had initiated would further the continuation of Georgia's dialogue with EU and NATO.

In total nineteen observers from Latvia participated in the observation of the extraordinary presidential elections in Georgia. As reported earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated Georgia on the elections of 5 January 2008, and, on the basis of findings by international observers, deemed the elections as having been transparent and in accord with international standards. The Ministry also called on Georgia to continue its initiated reforms and to progress towards the strengthening of democracy, and to take into consideration the problems identified in the OSCE report.

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