On 3 August, the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen named the experts nominated by NATO member countries to work with Secretary General on a new Strategic Concept for further public consultation within member countries.
On 4 August, at the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers a report On the progress of sector policies during the Presidency of the Czech Republic and planned development during the Presidency of Sweden was reviewed. The Foreign Ministry, working with sector ministries, prepares this kind of informative report twice a year whenever the presiding country of the EU Council changes.
On 4 August, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Egypt to Latvia, H.E. Samah Mohamed Sotouhi, was on a farewell visit to the Head of the Bilateral Relations Directorate, Ambassador Eduards Stiprais.
On 5 August, Head of the Bilateral Relations Directorate, Ambassador Eduards Stiprais met with the Director of the Europe Division in the Trade Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Hidehiro Muramatsu. During the meeting, the parties discussed bilateral co-operation between Latvia and Japan, highlighting the possibilities for expanding economic co-operation.
On 11 August, during the visit by President Valdis Zatlers to Azerbaijan, a bilateral meeting was held between Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov. During the meeting the parties reviewed the current situation in South Caucasus region, the co-operation of the European Union with the Eastern Partnership countries, including on the issues of energy and security.
On 12 August the Foreign Minister Māris Riekstiņš will meet the Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, Philip Gordon, to discuss the bilateral relations between Latvia and the USA and some regional topics. During the meeting, it is planned to discuss energy policy issues and the current agenda of NATO, including the development of the new NATO strategic concept.
Foreign Minister Māris Riekstiņš has conveyed condolences to the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák, with regard to the tragic explosion in the Handlovej coalmines in Slovakia that killed several dozens of people.
On 14 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Latvia, Nils Olav Stava, as part of the Ambassador's farewell visits.
On 14 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to Latvia, Nils Olav Stava, as part of the Ambassador's farewell visits.
On 19 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland to Latvia, Brendan McMahon, as part of the Ambassador's accreditation visits.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, Maris Riekstins, invites the Russian Federation not to delay providing official information on the nationality of the detained suspects.
Foreign Minister Māris Riekstiņš has conveyed condolences to the Foreign Minister of Iraq, Hoshyar Zibari, with regard to the series of bombings on 19 August in the centre of Baghdad that killed 95 and injured upwards of 500 people.
On 21 August, the Embassy of Latvia in Moscow has been notified by the Russian Federation Prosecutor General's Office Investigations Committee that among those taken into custody in the case of The Arctic Sea freighter there is one citizen and one non-citizen of Latvia.
On 23 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will go to Koni municipality in the Valmiera district to take part, together with the Foreign Minister of Estonia, Urmas Paet, in a remembrance event devoted to the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Way. Participating in the event will be former activists of the Popular Front, the organisers of the Baltic Way campaign, as well as the local authority representatives.
On 20-21 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins took part in the meeting of Nordic and Baltic Foreign Ministers in Reykjavik, Iceland. During the meeting, opinions were exchanged on the current international policy issues, including the situation in Afghanistan following the elections, the agenda and priorities of Sweden's EU Presidency, and also the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The ministers reviewed regional co-operation in the field of energy as well as the relations with the Russian Federation and the situation in the countries - eastern neighbours to the EU.
The Foreign Ministry of Latvia congratulates Afghanistan on the holding, on 20 August, of Afghanistan's presidential and provincial council elections. In the history of the country, these are the second presidential elections held under a democratic constitution.
On 24 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Judith Gail Garber, in order to receive copies of her letters of credence signed by the U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
On 23 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins attended the remembrance event devoted to the 20th Anniversary of the Baltic Way in Naukseni municipality, at Ungurini border post on the Latvia-Estonia border. Also participating in the event were the Foreign Minister of Estonia, Urmas Paet, former activists of the Popular Front, the organisers of the Baltic Way campaign and the local authority representatives.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins sent his letter of condolence to the Foreign Minister of Estonia, Urmas Paet, with regard to the tragic loss of two Estonian soldiers in Afghanistan.
On 23 August, the U.S. Department of State published a congratulatory statement by the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, addressed to the Baltic states on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Baltic Way. In her remark, the U.S. Secretary of State noted that because of the courage of the Baltic peoples, August 23 - once infamous as the anniversary of the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that led to the occupation of the Baltic states - now stands as a landmark in the struggle for self-determination. At the end of her statement, Secretary Clinton reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to strengthen partnerships with the people and governments of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
On 24 August, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins opened a meeting for the heads of Latvia's diplomatic missions. In his address, Foreign Minister Riekstins provided a summary of the general situation in interior and international policies, as well as outlined future priorities for diplomatic work.
On 25 August, Foreign minister Maris Riekstins will meet the Foreign Minister of Austria, Dr Michael Spindelegger, who arrives on an official visit to Riga.
On 24 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Judith Gail Garber, who had arrived in Latvia only that morning and made a courtesy visit to the Foreign Minister in order to present copies of her letters of credence.
On 26 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the Minister of Public Affairs and Diaspora of Israel, Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, who will arrive in Riga in order to take part at the opening ceremony of the Riga Synagogue. Minister Riekstins will also participate at the synagogue opening.
On 25 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met the Foreign Minister of Austria, Dr Michael Spindelegger, who was on an official visit in Latvia. During their meeting, the ministers reviewed the bilateral relations between Latvia and Austria, as well as the issues on the European Union (EU) agenda.
On 25 August, during his official visit in Latvia, the Foreign Minister of Austria, Dr Michael Spindelegger, presented the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash (Grosse Goldene Ehrenzeichen am Bande) for Services to the Republic of Austria to the head of the State Protocol and the former Ambassador of Latvia to Austria, Aivars Groza, for his merits to Austria. The Foreign Minister of Austria expressed his gratitude to the former Ambassador Aivars Groza for his contribution to strengthening the relations between Austria and Latvia.
On 26 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Minister of Public Affairs and Diaspora of Israel, Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, who was in Riga in order to take part at the ceremony of reopening the Riga Synagogue.
On 26 August, the Foreign Ministry Secretary of State, Andris Teikmanis, met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Norway to Latvia, Nils Olav Stava, as part of the Ambassador's farewell visits.
On 27 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Dr Miroslav Lajcak, who arrives on an official visit to Riga.
On 31 August, in the Press Conference Room of the Foreign Ministry building a seminar Archives and Other Memory Institutions will take place, with the President of the International Council of Archives, Ian Wilson, as the principal speaker.
On 27 August, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Dr Miroslav Lajcak, who was on an official visit to Riga.
From 27 August to 10 September, works from the visual arts' competition "Me in the European Union" for children and young people will be exhibited in the lobby of the Foreign Ministry building. On 9 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will present awards to the authors of the best works.
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