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German FM, Latvian leaders discuss security cooperation, economic exchange

Xinhua, March 2, 2017 Adjust font size:

Security cooperation, economic exchange and EU issues dominated German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel's agenda of his visit to Latvia on Wednesday.

Gabriel, who arrived in Riga straight after his trip to Latvia's neighbor country Estonia, met with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics.

The German foreign minister's talks with the Latvian prime minister covered a broad range of subjects, with special attention to security cooperation, expanding economic contacts and cooperation in tackling current EU issues.

Germany, already a major trade partner of Latvia, became its second largest trade partner in 2016. Latvia considers transport, logistics, metalworking and mechanical engineering, ICT and tourism to be the most perspective areas for cooperation with Germany.

"The convenient geographical location allows Latvia to position itself as a gateway in the North-South and East-West trade," Kucinskis said.

While discussing security matters, the Latvian prime minister thanked Germany for its participation in the NATO-led Baltic airspace policing mission and military training exercises, as well as for contributing personnel to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Latvia and the Riga-based NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence.

Gabriel told Kucinskis that for Germany, Baltic states' security is as important as its own security.

Speaking at a joint news conference following their meeting, both Gabriel and his Latvian counterpart Rinkevics emphasized that the EU must stay united and that the bloc must not lose the achieved level of cooperation and integration.

Gabriel stressed the similarity of the two countries' positions on Europe's future, adding that regardless of the measures Europe agrees upon, "there must not be regress or going backwards." Enditem