RIGA - Despite grim predictions about the likelihood of joining NATO, the Latvian government will beef up defense spending next year in an effort to keep the military alliance's interest.Military spending will increase nearly a third in 2000, to slightly less than 45 million lats ($77.6 million), according to a draft budget released last week. Parliament will begin considering the national budget Oct. 1.To pull Latvia from the self-ascribed "gray area" and into NATO, one of the most visible steps, most in government agree, is increasing defense spending."If the priority of our country is to...
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