During this year’s Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) in Riga, Latvia, several Latvian officials, politicians, and experts plan to address foreign parliamentarians regarding our country’s vision of global security issues. 

Guest speakers who will address foreign parliamentarians during the NATO PA committee meetings on 29 and 30 May are Ms. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, former President of Latvia; Mr. Imants Lieģis, Minister for Defence; Mr. Māris Riekstiņš, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr. Ilmārs Rimšēvičs, Governour of the Bank of Latvia; Mr. Juris Maklakovs, Commander of National Armed Forces of Latvia; and Mr. Aivis Ronis, former Ambassador to the United States and current member of NATO’s group of experts on the new Strategic Concept.

During the plenary session of the NATO PA Session on 1 June, Mr. Gundars Daudze, Speaker of the Latvian Saeima, and Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Latvian Prime Minister, will also give their addresses.

“The status of the host country of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly provides a unique opportunity for Latvian politicians and experts to address such a significant and broad international political forum. It will be a good platform for our representatives to present a detailed view of Latvia’s position regarding essential international security-related issues and to defend it,” emphasised Ms. Vaira Paegle, head of the Latvian delegation to the NATO PA.

NATO PA sessions take place twice a year –- in spring and autumn. The previous Session took place in Edinburgh, UK; this Session will be held in Riga, Latvia, and the next Session will convene in Warsaw, the capital of Poland.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is a consultative interparliamentary organisation founded in 1955 which unites parliamentarians from member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The NATO PA provides an essential link between NATO and parliaments of the NATO member states in helping to build parliamentary and public consensus in support of Alliance policies.

For more information, please visit the website of the 2010 Spring Session of the NATO PA at www.natopariga.lv or the official website of the NATO PA atwww.nato-pa.int.

Press Service
of the Public Relations Department
of the Parliament of Latvia
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E-mail: prese@saeima.lv