Latvian Minister of Defense and Russian Ambassador agrees on greater transparency

On February 19 Latvian Defense Minister Raimonds Vejonis met with Russian Ambassador to Latvia Alexander Veshnyakov and underlined the need for greater transparency in bilateral relations, including a regular exchange of information about Latvian and Russian military infrastructure and its development.

Vejonis proposed that the two countries should enter into an agreement about additional measures facilitating mutual trust and security in the framework of the Vienna Document of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). This agreement would help to improve transparency and alleviate possible concerns in the bilateral relations.

The Latvian defense minister also invited Russia to the international military exercise “Open Spirit 2014” to be held in Latvia in May this year.

He spoke approvingly of the Latvian-Russian cooperation so far concerning renovation and maintenance of the burial sites of the soldiers of both countries.

Both Vejonis and Veshnyakov praised cooperation in relation to the Northern Distribution Network and agreed that the network should be used to increase stability in Central Asia.

Daina Ozolina
Media Relations Division
Senior Desk Officer
Phone: 67335224
E-mail: daina.ozolina@mod.gov.lv