Interview with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr.Māris Riekstiņš [03 Mar 2010]

Per Stenmarck: There have been articles in international media about the new Russian military doctrine. What implications does it have on Latvia and the Baltic countries?

Maris Riekstins: Russia has produced many documents and strategies over the years. Not all of them have been implemented. I do not want to exaggerate the importance of this new doctrine. At the same time it gives us an opportunity to understand better how Russia assesses it`s security dangers and threats. Taking into account statements made by several officials of Russia during recently Munich Security conference, Russia has stated that it feels endangered by the enlargement of NATO and some years ago when Latvia along with other new members joined the alliance, they considered it as a security implication.

The new Russian military doctrine does not have any direct implications to Latvia. As members of NATO and EU we do feel fully safe. We are also improving our own defense capability through different mechanisms. For instance we are improving our defense capabilities, we are having active cooperation among Baltic countries and we are also working together with others partners in NATO and we have joint exercises.

PS: What does it mean to Latvia that NATO now has concluded the defense establishments plans for the Baltic countries?

MR: We are improving our security by using different elements. Defense plans are an ongoing process in NATO. Defense plans are only one way of increasing our security.

Our participation in ISAF in Afghanistan is important (http://www.isaf.nato.int/en/troop-contributing-nations/latvia/index.php). We also cooperate with other Baltic countries and NATO allies.

But we have also expressed our mistrust over the business deal where Russia wants to buy a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship from France and potentially build another three or four vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS.  That is not an acceptable way of one NATO member to make business on military equipment without consultations.

PS: How would you describe Latvia's relations with Russia for the time being?

MR: Since we signed the border treaty with Russia in 2007 we have quite pragmatic relationship with Russia. It also helped building confidence. We have exchanged a number of high level visits. Actually Sergej Lavrov was my first foreign guest when I became Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2007. He was also the first Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs ever to visit Latvia. After that I was in Moscow last year. That means that we have direct contacts on Foreign Minister level, which is important.

We also have a joint Intergovernmental Committee working on an annual basis. We are trying to focus on issues where we can reach a solution.

But of course there are also many disagreements. We disagree for instance on history. They see what happened in the Baltic States 1940 as something legitimate. We, of course, see it in quite another way.

I had a proposal to Lavrov when we met in 2007, to put together a group of Russian-Latvian historians and going through facts in the 1940' documents and after that publish a book. At first he seemed interested, but unfortunately after that not much has happened. Still I believe that at one moment we will come to that point. But that will need a transformation of thinking in Russia.

We also disagree on regional conflicts, for instance Georgia. But the Russians are our neighbors.  We have our agreements and disagreements. And we try to find topics of common understanding.

PS: It has now been decided that President Valdis Zatlers will go to Moscow to participate in the May celebrations of the end of the Second World War, or as the Russians still call it, The Great Patriotic War. Former President Vaira Vike-Freiberga also did the same thing a couple of years ago. Is this something that is difficult to explain to people in Latvia?

MR: Explanation depends on generation: many people have still memories of those hardships in the last century. Tens of thousands of Latvians were sent to Siberia. Many were forced to flee and seek refugee in Sweden, Germany, the US, Canada and many other places. It is an emotional issue. It means that many Latvians have experienced direct personal injuries. Many have for long suffered from injustices.

The President, as the Head of State of Latvia, has an important role to play. The victory over Nazi Germany was a "big thing". But we also have to understand that it did not bring freedom to number of nations and countries including Latvia..

PS: Five years ago Latvia became a member of the European Union. What do you today see as the most important goal for Latvia in the EU?

MR: The first years were a period of learning. That is over now. We are no longer one of the newest members, since Romania and Bulgaria have followed after.

The main task being in EU is to be active partner shaping EU policies. There are a couple of fields where we want to actively participate. Such as the internal agenda, climate change, agricultural policy, the New Financial Framework 2013-2020 and the Strategy 2020.

Also the transformation process after the Lisbon treaty has been ratified is important. It is of importance to get an answer to the question how underrepresented countries will catch up and Latvia is interested in getting more civil servants within the EU.

We want Latvians to see that we are an active participant in the EU. Public support is among the lowest of any member state.

PS: How do you prepare the first Latvian EU Presidency?

In 2015 we will be responsible for the EU Presidency. You might say that is far away! No, it is not. We have already presented a plan of how to handle that six months period. One of our priorities will be the eastern neighborhood. We have close relations with many of these countries and can bring in depth analysis.  Also Central Asia is important because of this unfortunate common history that we share.

We try to show a willingness to participate in helping out in difficult situations. Accepting detainees from the Guantanamo is a recent example. When President Obama, in one of his very first proposals, turned to Europe asking to assist on this issue, it was no obligation. But we have been looking into a possibility to participate. Ten or eleven members of the EU have done the same.

PS: How do you look at a situation where the Nord Stream project has been concluded, and three Baltic countries are bypassed by a cable in the middle of the Baltic Sea?

MR: We are not hysteric about this decision. This project has been considered for a long time and we can't interfere because this pipeline is not crossing our continental shelf or territorial economic zone. Our concern has been environmental. There has been a satisfactory solution. After that we have no objections. Still this entire project is of a somewhat bizarre nature. It can never replace the pipelines through Ukraine. They transport around 300 million cubic meters a year while the Nord Stream can take a tenth of that; 30 million cubic meters. Honestly I can't see the logic of investing in it. But, of course, we have not been properly consulted.

It is not a tragedy that they are bypassing us. We have a Latvian-Russian joint venture with underground storages outside of Riga. Russia is pumping in gas during summertime. Latvia is using it during the winter. Lots of it is sent back to Russia, which make Russian west region consumers dependent on Latvian gas supplies. The only problem, as I see it, is the price. The system functions quite well.

We are looking for more of diversification; gas and oil  in pipelines. Added to this the new Estlink between Estonia and Finland and the power link between Lithuania and Sweden. And in a little longer perspective our goal is a new Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania.

But, of course, for the next ten years we will be depending on Russian gas supplies. 

PS: Thank you very much.