Latvia reiterates stance against mandatory asylum mechanisms

Latvia is and will be against any mandatory mechanisms for asylum seekers' relocation across EU member states, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said Friday.

Rinkevics made the announcement following a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Baltic, Nordic and Visegrad Group countries in Latvia's seaside resort Jurmala.

After holding a tough debate on asylum seekers' admission last year, Latvia came to the conclusion that it has to get involved in the refugees' relocation efforts. At the same time, Latvia flatly rejects any refugee admission quotas and believes in the necessity to debate many other related issues instead.

"In the name of solidarity, we have to take part in this system. In my opinion, it is highly important that we not only debate the quotas, but also revise the Dublin system (for the admission of asylum seekers) and look how to handle the internal relocation process," Rinkevics said

The minister stressed the need to do everything to protect the EU's external borders and to combat organized crime more efficiently.

During the two-day meeting, the foreign ministers discussed a number of issues, including energy cooperation, the Baltic states' reliance on a single energy supplier and the planned construction of Nord Stream gas pipeline.

The ministers also exchanged views on the EU's Eastern Partnership project, the EU-Turkey agreement and developments in Syria.

Rinkevics said that despite the presence of various other challenges, the EU must not abandon its Eastern Partnership initiative, which so far has ensured close and practical cooperation with the bloc's eastern neighbors.

The Latvian minister believed that it is necessary to maintain close political involvement and to provide practical assistance to the countries implementing association agreements with the EU.

Participants of the meeting also agreed that the EU should abolish the visa regime with Ukraine and Georgia.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek indicated that the Eastern Partnership is one of the most important issues on the meeting agenda.

"We reiterated that the main objective is to continue offering support and assistance to all Eastern Partnership countries, including those that have association agreements and those that seek relations of other kind with the EU," the Czech minister said.

While discussing energy security, the foreign ministers agreed on the necessity to complete the EU's internal energy market project as scheduled. Endit