Scheffer's final visit to the Baltics

RIGA- The Latvian Institute has released the following regarding NATOSecretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's final visit to Latvia:

 
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the NATO Secretary General who has headedNATO since its

last enlargement in 2004, paid a farewell visit to Latvia onJuly 9th. During his sixth visit to Latvia since presiding over Latvia's entry in NATO in 2004, he met with President Valdis Zatlers,Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and expressed gratitude for Latvia's cooperation and active involvement in the Transatlantic Securityorganization.

 "Each nation has dreams, which sometimes seem unrealistic. Our dreamwas to join NATO. But there are people who help to make these dreams come true,"remarked President Valdis Zatlers as he presented the high official decoration:the Cross of Recognition of the First Class to Secretary General of NATO Jaapde Hoop Scheffer for his merit for the benefit of Latvia.

"I have the honor to award you with one of the oldest decorations in Europe,founded by the Duke of Kurland in 1710. You will always be a friend of Latvia,"he continued.

Scheffer thanked the President for the award and expressedsatisfaction of having had the chance to assist Latvia inmaking its dream come true. He noted: "After my 6th visit to Latvia Ireally regard myself as a friend of Latvia.Sometimes it is difficult to believe that NATO now is a family of 28 democraticnations.

"You helped this dream to come true. I will continue to support Latvia." PrimeMinister Dombrovskis thanked Scheffer for his contribution in ensuring Latvia's involvementin NATO.

It was under Scheffer's leadership that NATO held its 2006 Summit in Riga, Latvia.The historic Riga Summit assembled 26 heads of state and government, and wasthe first NATO Summit ever to be held in one of the Baltic States. Lithuaniaand Estonia also joined NATO in 2004.

During the meeting,Dombrovskis and Scheffer discussed a variety of current international securityand defence matters. Among them, the involvement of the Baltic States inpreparing the new NATO strategy concept, NATO patrols in Baltic airspace, andLatvia's participation in the international operation in Afghanistan. The NATOSecretary General highlighted the importance of Latvia's continuingparticipation in the Afghanistan mission, despite increased hardships brought onby the economic downturn and massive state budget reductions. The Prime Ministeracknowledged that Afghanistan is Latvia's priority NATO mission and willcontinue to be fully supported by the Government.

Scheffer also met with Latvia's Defence MinisterImants Liegis and Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins.

On 7 July in Brussels, under the authority of theNATO Secretary General, the first public debate on the Alliance's new StrategicConcept will be launched, in which Latvia will be represented at the expertlevel by former Ambassador of Latvia to the U.S., Permanent Representative to NATO,Aivis Ronis, nominated and supported by all three Baltic States.