NATO Secretary General thanks Latvia for participation in alliance operations

On 28 January in Brussels, Maris Riekstins for the first time as Foreign Minister had a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. At the meeting both officials discussed key NATO issues, including operations, enlargement, co-operation amongst member states, as well as the agenda of the approaching NATO state and leader meetings due to take place on 3-4 April in Bucharest, Romania.

The NATO Secretary General expressed his thanks to the Minister for Latvia's participation in currently the largest NATO military operation in Afghanistan, and welcomed the decision to begin training of an Afghan national army unit. Mr Riekstins confirmed Latvia's intention to begin training of the Afghan army unit and also to continue participation in the Norwegian-led reconstruction unit based in Maiman, in the province of Faryab in northwestern Afghanistan.

In discussions about the agenda for the Bucharest meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government, in which the main political issue is to be the decision on whether Croatia, Albania and former Yugoslavian Republic Macedonia should be invited to become member states of the alliance, both the Foreign Minister and the Secretary General were in agreement that the decision must be carefully weighed up and all potential member states must prove their readiness to become members of the largest democratic and military alliance.

During the meeting, the issue of NATO co-operation with partner states was also raised. Mr Riekstins emphasised the need to strengthen NATO relations with Georgia, taking into account the progress achieved so far in the realisation of reforms, as well as the stabilising influence these reforms have over the entire Southern Caucasus region. The Minister noted that a positive dialogue should be maintained with NATO strategic partner Ukraine. Both sides agreed that NATO must continue to pursue its open-door policy.

In Bucharest on 6 March, before the Summit, there is to be a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, where the issues and decisions to be considered at the summit will be reviewed and prepared.

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