On 31 October, in the Melngalvju Nams (Blackheads House), the Riga Conference Europe Whole and Free: 90 years in the making opened with a discussion The West Confronting New Realities of the 21st Century.
On 31 October, when opening the Riga Conference, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maris Riekstins emphasised the necessity to continue the Riga Conference tradition established by the NATO Summit of the heads of state and government in 2006.
On 1 November, as part of the Riga Conference Europe Whole and Free: 90 years in the making, four panel discussions were held on the following topics: Future of NATO: What Unites Allies?, Russia – "no business as usual"?, Consolidating the EU: Policy Implications, and also Vision of Europe Whole and Free: Options of Tomorrow, with participation of President Valdis Zatlers of Latvia, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia and President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia.
On 4 November at 3 pm, in the press conference hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Kr.Valdemāra iela 3, the Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alda Vanaga, and the Head of the Criminal Police Department of the Riga Regional Department of the State Police, Ints Kuzis, are holding a press conference for media representatives on the safety of foreign tourists in Riga.
On 5 November Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins sent a letter to the U.S. Vice President-elect Senator Joseph Biden, conveying his warmest congratulations to the newly-elected President Barack Obama and the Vice President, and every success for their term in office ahead.
The Final Protocol of the Latvia-Belarus state border demarcation is to be signed on 6 November in Riga, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The signing of this document will formally end the process of determining the border between Latvia and Belarus which has lasted for more than ten years.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins on 5 November sent a letter of condolence to the German Federal Foreign Minister, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, regarding the tragic coach crash which occurred near Hannover, Germany.
On 10 November Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins will participate in a meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels. Concurrent with this sitting, meetings of EU Member State ministers for defence and for development co-operation are also scheduled.
The Latvia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission is to meet for the second time on 11 November in Moscow. The co-chairmen of both sides had agreed on holding this meeting on 7 July in the capital of Russia. Minister for Finance Atis Slakteris is the Co-Chairman of the Latvian side, whereas the Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin chairs the Russian side.
A meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) took place on 10 November in Brussels with the participation of Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins. During the meeting, EU Member State foreign ministers prepared for the December European Council session, debated the future relations between the EU and Russia, and reviewed current topics in foreign and security policy.
On 13 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, who is to stay in Latvia on a working visit on 13-14 November.
On 13 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, as part of his working visit to Latvia. During the meeting, the ministers reviewed issues of bilateral political and economic co-operation, Baltic-Nordic co-operation up until now and its future prospects, the transatlantic partnership within NATO, relations with Russia and other Eastern neighbours, and also the global financial crisis.
From 17 November, citizens of Latvia may travel to the U.S. without having to obtain a visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to remind that the U.S. Visa Waiver Program allows travelling to the U.S. only for business or tourism purposes. All individuals travelling to the U.S. for a different purpose, for example for studies or to work, are required to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy. Holders of diplomatic and service passports, when travelling to the U.S. on official purposes, will also still require a U.S. visa.
The jubilee year of Latvia is approaching culmination and in November the celebrations of the statehood of Latvia are taking place not only at home but all over the globe.
On 18 November, a political and development advisor of Latvia, Valts Vitums, is to go to Afghanistan. The advisor will be stationed together with the basic contingent to the National Armed Forces of Latvia in the Provincial Reconstruction Team of Maymana, Faryab province, within the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
On November 14, a meeting took place between EU and Russian leaders in Nice, France. Participants at the summit discussed the conflict in Georgia, as well as the implementation of the Sarkozy-Medvedev six-point plan of 12 August and other aspects of the crisis settlement.
On 19 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, who will be on an official visit to Latvia on 19-20 November.
On 18 November the Latvian Embassy in Moscow organized a formal concert and celebratory reception to commemorate the 90th anniversary of proclamation of the Republic of Latvia.
On 19 November the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State David Merkel will arrive in Riga.
On 19 November, the new Lithuanian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Latvia, Antanas Valionis, will meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins as part of his accreditation visit.
This year we are celebrating Latvia's ninetieth anniversary.
The video competition "Nofilme Latviju pasaule!" ("Film Latvia in the World") organised by the Foreign Ministry, the state agency "Latvian Institute", and the social networking website draugiem.lv has now concluded.
On 19 November Antanas Valionis, the new Lithuanian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Latvia, met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins during his accreditation visit. At the meeting, the officials reviewed current developments in bilateral relations and the prospects for further economic co-operation.
On 19 November, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Religion of the Argentine Republic.
On 20 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the Chairman (Speaker) of the Parliament of Georgia, David Bakradze, who is arriving on a working visit to Latvia.
On 20 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Chairman (Speaker) of the Parliament of Georgia, David Bakradze, who had arrived on an official visit to Riga.
On 19 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, who was on an official visit to Latvia.
On the 90th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins received greetings from foreign ministers of neighbouring states, as well as from his counterparts of EU and NATO Member States and also partner states elsewhere in the world.
25 November will see the opening of a joint photography exhibition LATVIJA DODas PASAULE (Latvia goes out into the world) organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and the GLEN Latvia association, and devoted to Latvia's contribution to development co-operation. The exhibition will be launched at 4 pm in the main hall of the Riga Central railway station.
On 25 November, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a draft order "Amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 407 of 6 August 2006 On the Appointment of Representatives to the Joint Latvia-Russia Demarcation Commission".
On 24 November the meeting of foreign ministers and representatives of the Baltic states, the Visegrad Group countries (the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary), Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, and Sweden was held in Warsaw, Poland.
On 25 November representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova arrived on a study visit to Latvia. The purpose of the visit is to share with Moldovan representatives Latvia's experience of EU integration.
On 26 November, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will meet with media representatives from Ukraine who have arrived on a visit to Latvia. During the meeting it is planned to talk about Latvia's experience on its course towards Euro-Atlantic integration as well as relations with Russia after accession to the EU and NATO.
On 26 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with representatives of the Ukrainian mass media to discuss Latvia's experience on its course towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins has expressed his deepest sympathy to the people of India regarding the attacks by gunmen which took place in the Indian city of Mumbai on 26 November, in which more than 100 people were killed and more than 300 were injured.
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