Latvia offers template for U.S.

  • 2011-04-27
  • From wire reports

RIGA - President Valdis Zatlers on April 20 met with a delegation of United States senators to discuss bilateral relations, economic and military cooperation, energy policies, as well as issues related to the Eastern Partnership initiative, reports news agency LETA. During the meeting, the president emphasized that “Latvia is a long-term strategic partner of the United States and hopes that U.S. presence will remain active in the Baltic Sea region. We are interested to continue our close political dialogue and military cooperation.”

The president also emphasized that an enormous achievement is the increase of military planning and military exercises in the Baltics, thus putting into practice Article 5 of the NATO Charter. As well, the U.S. senators highly value the participation of Latvian soldiers in the Afghan mission.
Also during the meeting, the senators showed interest in Latvia’s experience, as well as the measures taken, in overcoming the economic crisis, taking into account that there are currently heated debates raging in the U.S. regarding the country’s budget. The president also emphasized the necessity to increase economic cooperation between Latvia and the United States.

The two sides also discussed issues related to energy and regional energy projects in Latvia.
At the end of the meeting, Zatlers and the senators then touched on the European Union’s Eastern Partnership initiative and Latvia’s view on future cooperation with these countries. The two sides also discussed the development of relations between Latvia and Russia.

During a meeting with the senatorial delegation, Defense Minister Artis Pabriks (Unity) asked for support within the U.S. Congress to help move forward legislation which would allow Latvia to become more actively involved in cargo transit to Afghanistan. During the meeting, the senators showed interest in security problems in the region, and brought up the issue of media freedom in the Baltics. At the same time, the two sides also discussed issues related to Russia, NATO reforms and military integration in the Baltics. Pabriks also discussed the situation in Belarus with the senators.

The Latvian defense minister emphasized that the senators had some criticism for the reductions of defense budgets in Europe and Latvia, as the U.S. continues to carry the load of ensuring military security for European Union nations.
Speaking on Latvia’s experience in wading through its troubled waters during the global financial crisis, and maybe looking warily over his shoulder to the growing debt problems back home, U.S. Republican Senator Jon Kyl (Arizona) said, after a meeting with Saeima Speaker Solvita Aboltina (Unity), that the Latvian government is combating fiscal problems the right way. Kyl pointed out that Latvia and the U.S. face similar problems and are forced to reduce their budget deficits. This issue is highly important and its solution will require joint efforts, said the senator.

Kyl believes that U.S. President Barack Obama invited representatives of Republican and Democratic parties to discuss the issue and appoint people who will come up with the necessary suggestions. Both parties will have to reach an agreement, emphasized Kyl and added that specific decisions must be made by June.

“The Latvian government is combating fiscal problems the right way; hopefully, the United States will do the same,” said Kyl.
The senator pointed out that he arrived on the visit to Latvia to express his support for Latvian reforms and thank Latvia for its support of the United States in Afghanistan. During the meeting, Kyl and Aboltina also discussed several issues related to national security and energy independence. “The U.S. strongly supports energy independence in the Baltics and all projects that can contribute to it,” said the senator. Aboltina in turn emphasized that the U.S. is Latvia’s strategic partner and the goal of this visit is to promote stronger security and economic ties between both countries.
In addition to Senator Kyl, Republican Senators Ron Johnson (Wisconsin), Jeff Sessions (Alabama) and Mike Crapo (Idaho) were on this official visit to Latvia.

The senators were to meet and discuss with Latvian leaders economic and military cooperation between Latvia and the United States in order to improve bilateral relations between both countries as NATO allies.