Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins in a letter of condolence to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, has offered his deepest sympathy and expressed words of support to families of those who have died and suffered injuries in the fire at an old people's home in the Kortkerossky District, Republic of Komi.
On 2 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins sent a congratulatory letter to Ossur Skarphedinsson, the new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Energy, and Tourism of Iceland, on taking up office.
Latvia welcomes the local government elections that took place on 31 January in 14 governorates of Iraq, which may be considered a significant step forward in the process of democratisation and the establishment of a rule of law state. Latvia expresses the hope that the elections of provincial councils will reinforce the course which has been begun toward peace, mutual reconciliation, and stability in Iraq.
On 3 February, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis met with Otgon Dambiinyam, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia, who is on a three-day accreditation visit to Latvia. The sides discussed prospects for further development of bilateral relations, as well as co-operation at international organisations.
On 4 February, in response to an invitation expressed by Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Alexander Stubb will make a working visit to Latvia.
On 4 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb, who was on a working visit in Latvia, following an invitation by Minister Riekstins.
On 5 February, in response to an invitation expressed by Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt will make a visit to Latvia.
On 5 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt, who was on a working visit to Latvia.
From 6 to 8 February Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will participate in the 45th Munich Security Conference.
On 7 February, whilst at the Munich Security Conference, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Parliamentary Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany, Christian Schmidt. During the meeting, current security policy issues were discussed, including international operations, Latvia-Germany bilateral co-operation and the agenda of the upcoming NATO Summit.
On 9 and 10 February, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Teikmanis, is on a visit to Brussels, in order to discuss with representatives of the European Union and of NATO topical issues relating to these institutions.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins has sent a letter to his Australian counterpart, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, expressing his deep sympathy to the Australian people with regard to the tragic bushfires in the state of Victoria.
On 9 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Hamrokhon Zarifi signed a protocol on co-operation between the two foreign ministries.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins reiterates Latvia's standpoint that an agreement on the construction of new Baltic interconnections and the establishment of a common electric energy market should be reached within the EU Baltic Interconnection Plan.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins has sent a letter to Foreign Minister Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta of Afghanistan with regard to the 11 February suicide terrorist incident in Kabul.
On 12 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Ali Babacan, who is to arrive on an official visit to Latvia.
On 11 February, a police station supported by Latvia was opened in the southwest of the Faryab province, in Afghanistan. In this way Latvia has provided assistance to the local police force, taking into account that strengthening of the police in Afghanistan is a highly important and integral part in the promotion of development and improvement to the security situation in the country.
On 13 February Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins sent a letter of condolence to the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, with regard to the tragic air disaster involving a plane from Newark in New Jersey, which crashed ten kilometres short of Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York State.
On 12 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Ali Babacan, who was on an official visit to Latvia.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins emphasises that the achieved agreement on the extension of work by Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) military observers in Georgia and the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on the extension of the mandate of the the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) will, through this international presence, provide the South Causcasus region with continued security and stability - especially in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
On the occasion of the 91st anniversary of Lithuania's independence, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins has sent a letter of congratulations to his Lithuanian counterpart Vygaudas Usackas.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins has sent a letter of congratulations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Skender Hyseni, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the country's independence.
On 18 February, in response to an invitation by Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, the Estonian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Urmas Paet will arrive on an official visit to Latvia.
On 18 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Paet, who had arrived on an official visit to Latvia.
Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins has sent a letter of condolences to Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak of the Republic of Slovakia, with regard to the tragic collision of a tourist bus and a train, which happened not far from Polomka Bucnik. It is believed that more than ten people have lost their lives in the accident.
On the occasion of the 91st anniversary of Estonia's independence, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maris Riekstins, has sent a letter of congratulations to his Estonian counterpart Urmas Paet.
On 25 February the Embassy of Latvia in Tallinn delivered a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, requesting the Estonian authorities to retract forthwith recommendations issued to its residents to avoid visits to Latvia on the grounds of a heightened risk of infection by the Hepatitis A virus.
On 25 February Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis met with Ambassador Jose Miguel Cruz of Chile, who was on his accreditation visit to Latvia. During their meeting, State Secretary Teikmanis and Ambassador Cruz concluded a Memorandum of Understanding on the procedure for political consultations between the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Latvia and the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Chile.
On 27 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will participate in an informal meeting of Baltic state foreign ministers at Utena in Lithuania. He will be joined by his Lithuanian counterpart Vigaudas Usackas and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet.
On 27 February, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis, while attending the third international forum "Europe-Ukraine", will participate in a discussion on the Eastern Partnership.
On 27 February Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins participated in the informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic States in Utena, Lithuania.
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