Foreign Ministry of Latvia expresses incomprehension over article by Alexander Chepurin, Director of Russian Foreign Ministry Department for Relations with Compatriots, on Russian Foreign Ministry website [30 Jun 2009]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia expresses incomprehension over the reprehension against Latvia expressed by Alexander Chepurin, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Department for Relations with Compatriots Abroad in his article "Reference point: A Congress of Fellow Nationals" (24.06.09) published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Foreign Ministry of Latvia refutes allegations expressed in the publication. The Foreign Ministry considers them to be misleading and in open contradiction to the efforts by Latvia to consolidate a society uniting all residents of Latvia. Such an opinion by a senior official from Russia indicates lack of support for integration which is the only means of facilitating a meaningful inclusion of residents of all ethnicities into a united totality of citizens of one country.

Representatives from Russia, both within the framework of international organisations and on bilateral basis, including the experts from the Latvia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission, have always been provided an opportunity to gain a full insight into the policy of society integration implemented by Latvia. Therefore it is surprising that an official of the Foreign Ministry of Russia should pronounce an inappropriate and unsubstantiated opinion, referring to Latvia in his article in the given context due to lack of information.

The Latvian side will also in future maintain its open position in explicating Latvia's society integration policy and invites the Russian side to engage in this dialogue.

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