Latvian parliament annual foreign affairs debate focus on security, migration
Xinhua, January 27, 2016 Adjust font size:
Political, military and economic security was the focus of the annual foreign affairs debate in the Latvian parliament on Tuesday.
Addressing lawmakers during the debate, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics stressed that no country is able to deal with today's challenges alone and that it is therefore in Latvia's interests to back the idea of united and strong EU and NATO.
"The foreign policy of any country, including Latvia, cannot be put into the frame of a calendar year. No doubt, many of the European and global challenges, crises and addressing their root causes will continue not only throughout this year but also beyond. And regrettably, it must be admitted, that the atmosphere in Europe, which not so long ago seemed so calm, even sleepy, has changed radically. From the perspective of international and security policy, 2016 is going to be difficult, intense and restless, since the whirlpool of endless crises across the globe is a reality that we must deal with on an almost daily basis and the disastrous consequences are leaving a lasting impact on the common foreign and security policy of the European Union," the Latvian minister said.
"The current history of our country teaches us that we must never stand alone. And we are not alone," Rinkevics said, noting that "our interests lie in a stable, secure and competitive Latvia. Our interests lie in a united and strong European Union. And our interests lie in a powerful North Atlantic Treaty Organisation capable of effectively adapting to the new security environment in the world".
The upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw should decide upon "an Allied presence in the Baltic states that is long-lasting and worth taking seriously," Rinkevics said.
Asked about Latvia's possibilities to develop its own position on the refugee issue, Rinkevics said that Latvia made its principles known already last year and that they were accepted by many EU member states.
"Yes, we were ready to admit a small number of these people seeking asylum. We also said clearly that we expect all member states and European institutions to take care of external security, which is important to us as well. We expect an effective deportation policy for persons that do not quality for refugee status. And thirdly, also a clampdown on organized crime," Rinkevics said.
The minister stressed that from the very beginning Latvia has been objecting to a mandatory and automatic system for the asylum seekers' distribution across the bloc's member states.
"We can take a stand for our interests, not forgetting of course, that we need support on many other issues. Our position will therefore be balanced, reasonable and in line with our national interests,"Rinkevics said. Endit