At the New Year reception given by the President of the Republic of Latvia and Mr. Imants Freibergs for the Foreign Diplomatic Corps

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga:

Honourable Foreign Minister [Artis Pabriks], Distinguished dean of the diplomatic corps [Tomass Luks], Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a true pleasure for me to welcome you all here at the Riga Castle. I am pleased to note that during the past year, the foreign diplomatic corps in Latvia has grown yet again, with the opening of new embassies in Riga by Azerbaijan, Ireland, Moldova, Portugal and Turkey. A special welcome therefore, to the ambassadors of these countries.
Only fifteen years ago, in January of 1991, Latvia and her Baltic neighbours were still under Soviet occupation, uncertain about their future. Just a few days ago, we commemorated the tragic events of that month, when Soviet troops shot and killed more than twenty unarmed civilians in Latvia and in Lithuania. But it was during that time, when hundreds of thousands of unarmed men and women stood up together against the military might of the Soviet regime, that our freedom was reborn. It is thanks to their determination and courage in the face of tyranny that the people of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania will celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the recovery of their independence this year.
I am firmly convinced that each nation has a duty to remember its history and to analyze and evaluate the events of the past in as objective a manner as possible. This is what Latvia has endeavoured to do, and will continue to do, for only an honest evaluation of the past can be the basis for healing, understanding and reconciliation.
Just a few days ago, I returned from a trip to South Africa, where I visited the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. It was impressive to see how seriously the people of South Africa have endeavoured the need to come to terms with their recent history, and how committed they are to a process of understanding, recognition of wrongs and reconciliation. In this they offer an example: we have to face the ghosts of the past if we are to build a better and different future.
During the past year, we have seen in some countries an alarming resurgence of hate crimes stemming from xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and other forms of intolerance. I believe it the duty and obligation of every national government to combat such manifestations in earnest, and to resist the temptation to cater to aggressively nationalist sentiments. I will add that hateful exhortations by heads of state calling for the elimination of other nations cannot be accepted by the international community and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
Your Excellencies,
Ever since the renewal of its independence, Latvia has consistently sought to strengthen and consolidate its democracy, which has attained a solid state of maturity in a surprisingly short period of time. Last year my country ratified the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, thereby reinforcing the legal status and rights of Latvia’s ethnic minorities, which already enjoyed a broad array of rights and privileges. Our ratification of the convention underpinned what various international organizations such as the United Nations, the OSCE and the European Union had already concluded previously – that Latvia fully conforms to all international norms regarding the protection of minority rights, not to mention the respect for human rights and basic freedoms.
Last year a record number of people obtained Latvian citizenship through our simple and straightforward naturalization procedures, which I see as another indicator of Latvia’s successful integration policies. This year we will be holding the fifth parliamentary elections since the renewal of our independence, with a steadily rising number of eligible voters. The closing of the Latvian office of the United Nations Development Programme at the end of last year marks another important milestone in our progress. We are greatly honoured by the selection of Riga as the venue for the next NATO summit in November of this year, a choice that carries an important symbolic significance.
As a full member of the NATO alliance and of the European Union, Latvia is grateful for the support it received from its allies during its accession process to these two organizations. We firmly believe that an open door policy must be maintained for the admittance of future member states that meet the EU’s and NATO’s entry requirements. We look forward to welcoming Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union and are pleased that accession talks have commenced with Croatia and Turkey. We also encourage Macedonia to continue with the reforms it has undertaken as an EU candidate country.
Your Excellencies,
Latvia strongly supports the strengthening a Common Foreign and Security Policy for Europe, as well as a European Security and Defence Policy. Nevertheless, Latvia continues to view Europe’s transatlantic partnership with the United States and Canada as necessary for maintaining Europe’s security, and for dealing with such security threats as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the outbreak of regional conflicts and the spread of terrorism. Together with its NATO allies, Latvia will continue to take part in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq, and stands ready to contribute to future peacemaking initiatives wherever they may be required.
On a much sadder note, I take this opportunity to express Latvia’s deepest sympathies to the government and people of Slovakia, following the tragic airplane crash in Hungary that took the lives of 42 Slovak peacekeepers. These brave young men were all returning home after completing a tour of duty in Kosovo. Our hearts and our prayers are with you in this sombre period of mourning.
Your Excellencies,
Regarding economic issues, Latvia is proud to have attained the highest GDP growth rate on the European continent. Our GDP growth in 2005 is expected to have surpassed 10 percent and we expect healthy growth rates of between 6 and 8 % to continue in the years to come. Latvia plans on acceding to the Schengen visa regime in 2007, and to adopt the euro as its currency in 2008.
We are pleased that an agreement has been reached by the EU’s member states on the EU budget for the years 2007 to 2013 and hope that a final accord will be reached soon with the European Parliament on the budget’s practical implementation. Latvia believes that the priorities agreed upon at the informal EU summit in Hampton Court last October – which include research and innovation, university reform, demographic development and migration, energy issues and security – must remain among the core issues of the EU’s agenda. I believe that the EU’s member states must also show a greater overall commitment to the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, which seeks to render Europe economically more competitive.
Another vital task for Europeans is to arrive at a common vision about their future, and to achieve a greater trust in the EU institutions that were designed and created to serve them. After the rejection of the EU Constitution in France and in the Netherlands, the EU’s member states must spare no effort to arrive at a plan of action for overcoming the current constitutional crisis. That is why I welcome the opportunity to participate in the discussion forum hosted by Austria, as the current EU presidency. Entitled The Sound of Europe, in honour of Mozart’s 250^th birthday, this forum is designed to stimulate discussion on the fundamental values and ideals that should unite all Europeans.
Your Excellencies,
Latvia places great importance on the European Neighbourhood Policy, or ENP, which is designed to promote closer relations between the EU and its eastern neighbours. As a country that forms part of the EU’s eastern frontier, Latvia hopes that both Austria and Finland, which hold the EU presidency this year, will accord the ENP top priority. We trust that under Austria’s presidency, the ENP’s plan of action for the countries of the Southern Caucasus will be completed. We strongly believe that an individual approach should be taken with each country in the region, as foreseen in the ENP’s guidelines. For its part, Latvia is devoting concerted efforts to promote closer relations between the EU and the new democracies of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in particular.
Regarding Ukraine, Latvia hopes that the parliamentary elections scheduled for March of this year will lead to the formation of a stable national government. We also hope that Ukraine’s post-election leadership will not waver from the course of democracy and reform that was undertaken during the Orange Revolution of 2004. We are looking forward to continued progress in talks concerning a free trade agreement between Ukraine and the EU, as well a successful conclusion of talks between Ukraine and the EU on Ukraine’s participation in the World Trade Organization.
We are pleased that Ukraine’s natural gas company and Gazprom successfully resolved their differences over the delivery of natural gas to Ukraine. However, Latvia remains gravely concerned at the unsettling prospect of energy-supplying countries using oil and gas to obtain political and economic concessions from their client nations. That is one reason why the member states of the EU must rapidly arrive at a common energy policy. This policy must focus on diversifying the geographical sources from which Europeans obtain their energy and on diminishing Europe’s reliance on single, large suppliers. It is also in everyone’s interest, over the longer term, to diversify the types of energy that we use and to reduce our dependency on non-renewable fossil fuels.
Your Excellencies,
Latvia places great importance on the improvement of relations with its large eastern neighbour, Russia. We hope to see an intensification of the political dialogue between our countries not only at the bilateral level, but also within the framework of the EU, NATO and other international organizations. I would be very pleased if a meeting could be arranged between our countries’ prime ministers later this year, and if we managed to put a number of important agreements on the table for signing and ratification, including, eventually, a border agreement. I am very much looking forward to the visit by the Patriarch of Russia to Riga this May, and hope that it will promote an enhanced spirit of mutual respect and understanding between our countries. We would very much like to see a Russia with a flourishing democracy, a vibrant civil society and an independent mass media as our neighbour.
Latvia is also one of three EU member states that border Belarus. We are therefore following the developments in that country with great interest, and express the hope that the upcoming presidential elections in March will be deemed by observers as free and fair. Latvia hopes to see a free and democratic society evolve in Belarus, just as it has in other Eastern European democracies, including our own.
Regarding the Middle Eastern region, Latvia congratulates Israel for the good will it has displayed in withdrawing its troops and settlements from the Gaza strip, as well as for the general restraint Israel has practiced in the face of resumed suicide bombings and rocket attacks by Palestinian extremists. We are also pleased that Israel has allowed Palestinians living in East Jerusalem to vote in the upcoming elections of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Latvia hopes that the newly elected representatives of the Palestinian Legislative Council will pursue the path of peace with Israel, which is so vital for the establishment of genuine stability in the region. We also hope that the people of Israel will elect a new administration in March that is just as committed to the peace process as the current one, and express our sympathies at the deterioration in the health of Prime Minister Sharon. I will add that it was an honour and a pleasure for me to receive President Moshe Katzav in Riga last September, and that I look forward to visiting Israel together with my delegation next month.
The situation in Iraq remains volatile, with no sign of a reduction in suicide attacks against innocent civilians. Nevertheless, the legislative elections that occurred last month give rise to the hope that a stable coalition government can be formed, thereby providing the new administration with a sufficient degree of legitimacy. We all wish to see the rapid restoration of civil order in Iraq, and a cessation of the violence that has ravaged that country.
Iraq’s neighbour to the east, Iran, has also raised international concerns by renewing its uranium enrichment activities, at a time when the International Atomic Energy Agency has yet to be convinced of that country’s peaceful intentions. Latvia joins the rest of the international community in urging Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program, to resume talks with all interested parties, and to strengthen its cooperation with the IAEA.
Your Excellencies,
As a Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the reform of the United Nations, I am pleased that the UN General Assembly has agreed to the creation of a new Peacemaking Commission, which I hope will serve as an effective mechanism for diffusing long-lasting conflicts. I also hope that the UN’s member states will soon agree to the transformation of the Human Rights Commission into a credible and effective Human Rights Council. Regarding the reform of the Security Council, Latvia supports the proposals put forth by Germany, Brazil and India for the expansion of this important body, thereby rendering it more representative of the current situation in the world. Only through a concerted effort based on consensus and cooperation will we be able to address such global concerns as warfare, terrorism and international crime, environmental degradation, poverty and disease.
In closing, I extend my wishes for a happy and successful New Year to each and every one of you, as well as my wishes for peace and prosperity to all of our nations and our people.