Latvia eyes OECD

 VILNIUS - During the Sept. 4 Baltic-Nordic foreign ministers’ meeting (also known as NB-8) in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics urged his colleagues to support Latvia’s membership to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

“The experience Latvia has gained in its reform process, as well as the country’s rapid economic growth is unique. Latvia is prepared to share its experience and contribute towards the work of the OECD. In joining the OECD, Latvia would become a more attractive environment for investments,” the minister said. In evaluating cooperation between the Baltics and the Nordic countries, Rinkevics pointed to various good examples of cooperation - the training of civilian experts to staff EU missions abroad, the coordination of mutual positions in international formats, as well as allowing diplomats to operate out of other NB-8 embassies.

During the meeting, the ministers also had a brief meeting with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite. The foreign ministers discussed various topics during the annual meeting, including regional cooperation, relations with Eastern Partnership Initiative countries, the situation in the Middle East, the situation in the eurozone, as well as other current global, European and regional affairs.

The NB-8 includes the three Baltic countries, as well as Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. The countries have been cooperating in this format since 1992.