Rinkevics calls on Latin American and Caribbean ambassadors to consider opening embassy in Riga

RIGA - Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (New Unity) today had a meeting with the non-resident ambassadors of Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Portugal in Riga, calling on the Latin American and Caribbean ambassadors to consider the idea of opening an embassy in Riga, which would help build more active bilateral and multilateral contacts with countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region, the Foreign Ministry told LETA.

During the meeting, Rinkevics expressed Latvia's support for the strengthening of relations between the European Union (EU) and the Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC). In the ensuing conversation, the minister stressed that the Latin American and Caribbean countries were like-minded partners in the EU. Rinkevics expressed his support for the strengthening of EU-LAC relations, in particular, during the forthcoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of this year.

This coming July 17-18, Brussels will host the Summit of the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). Rinkevics expressed hope that the event would provide a meaningful impetus for strengthening cooperation between the two regions. He confirmed that the agenda of the EU-CELAC Summit as concerns development of trade and investment, including in the high-tech and digital sectors, was in line with Latvia's vision.

The meeting was organized by the Spanish ambassador to Latvia in preparation for the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.