Latvia welcomes possible resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks [23 Aug 2010]

Latvia welcomes the invitation by the US administration to Israeli and Palestinian representatives to take part at direct peace talks in Washington on 2 September.

The Foreign Ministry of Latvia believes that lasting peace and stability in the region and an eventual two-state solution could only be achieved through direct negotiations that were acceptable to the parties concerned and had a clearly defined agenda, goals and a realistic timeline.

Latvia as an EU member state has already earlier actively expressed support to the Middle East peace process and the two-state solution. On several occasions, the Foreign Ministry of Latvia has voiced approval of the continuation of indirect peace talks and their further evolvement into a direct dialogue.

The Foreign Minister of Latvia Aivis Ronis, at the talks this June with the Foreign Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Riad Al-Malki, and in early July, during the meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman confirmed that Latvia as an EU member state supported the Middle East peace process and indirect peace talks. At the same time the minister also indicated that indirect peace talks were only an interim measure, and it was a key task for the international community to achieve a direct dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israeli-Palestinian direct peace negotiations were suspended in December 2008.