'We must be ready for the worst'-Ambassador to NATO

Feb 24, 2009
TBT staff in cooperation with BNS

Janis Eichmanis warns of possible unknown terrorism threats to Latvia.

BRUSSELS – The Latvian ambassador to NATO is urging Latvia to be ready to act against terrorism.

 “The threat of terrorism in Latvia is a broad issue, but from the military point of view, Latviamust be ready to respond to the worst case scenario,” Latvian ambassador to NATO Janis Eichmanis said.

When asked if international terrorists pose a threat to Latvia, the Eichmanis said:

 "You know, I would like to answer this question with a question. Did anybody anticipate anything like this before the September 11 events in the US? Did anybody anticipate anything like this before the economic crisis, even in the worst nightmare?

However, the NATO diplomat stated that in order to be prepared, one must assume the worst.

“That's human nature. If somebody says the worst is possible, he is unlikely to be heeded. That's the human nature. But it is the task of security experts to assess the threats. Security experts must assume that the worst in possible and act accordingly."

Eichmanis quoted former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying that ‘"There are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know." It is important to analyze the direction of developments to lessen our ignorance,’ the ambassador said.

Eichmanis has been the permanent Latvian representative to NATO since 2006.

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