Mayor of Amsterdam to visit Riga on 22-23 May [13 May 2003]

On 8 May 2003, the Ambassador of Latvia to the Netherlands, Karlis Eihenbaums, met with the Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen.

During their meeting, Mr Eihenbaums and Mr Cohen discussed opportunities for developing cooperation between Riga and Amsterdam, as well as the forthcoming visit by the Mayor and a delegation of 35 entrepreneurs and officials to Riga on 22 and 23 May 2003. The visit is to incorporate the signing of a cooperation agreement between Amsterdam and Riga encompassing a broad range of activities including research into shared historical heritage and developing modern infrastructure projects.

At the meeting, Mayor Cohen informed that Amsterdam would seek to develop "working projects" between the two cities rather than simply formal contacts. The proposed agreement is to serve merely as a guide in this respect. Amsterdam's decision to establish cooperation with Riga has been given a considerable boost by Latvia's progress towards membership of the European Union, which could take place as early as next year. Out of all the possibilities for cooperation within the dynamic region of northeastern Europe and with the new EU member states, Mr Cohen sees cooperation with Riga as having the greatest potential.

Apart from the priorities set out in the agreement, one area in which both cities could share common interests is that of politically current integration issues. These issues will be raised at discussions in Riga and cooperation on them pursued should there be interest to do so.

The Mayor stressed that Amsterdam is interested to gain a broader understanding of its history, which cooperation with Riga can help to achieve. He expressed the hope that the residents of Riga would similarly find interest in Amsterdam's archives, which also contain part of Latvia's history. Mr Cohen and Mr Eihenbaums agreed that although history might serve as a good basis for cooperation, new common interests must be sought. Modern-day cooperation needs to include exchange of experience in today's key economic sectors, such as infrastructure, transport, ports, information technologies, and e-government.

On presenting the Mayor with books about Riga and an exhibition catalogue "Surprising Latvian Arts of the 20^th century" from the recent Latvian arts exhibition in Zwolle (the Netherlands), Mr Eihenbaums proposed holding a similar art exhibition in Amsterdam, one of Europe's museum metropolises. Mr Cohen appreciated the proposition and estimated that its realisation might serve as an example of successful cooperation.

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