Off the wire
• UN sees Chinese strategy on cyberspace cooperation "important report"  • Eurozone jobless rate remains unchanged in Jan.  • U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross quits post at Bank of Cyprus  • Roundup: Albania's opposition continues protests despite int'l calls  • Tanzania shuts down four alcohol factories in ongoing crackdown  • Ghana gov't industrial policy targets 350,000 jobs  • Murray beats Kohlschreiber in breath-taking Dubai Open quarter final  • FAO warns food security emergencies likely to increase  • Deposits in Albanian banking system hit new high in 2016  • European Defense Agency completes project on artillery accuracy  
You are here: 　 Home

German defense minister asserts commitment to Baltic security

Xinhua, March 3, 2017 Adjust font size:

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday reiterated Germany's commitment to Baltic security and continued close defense cooperation with Latvia during her visit to Riga.

Speaking at a news conference after talks with Latvian counterpart Raimonds Bergmanis, she said the German defense forces will bring their Deployable Control and Reporting Center to Latvia again this April.

The German minister also thanked the Latvian soldiers who helped repel Taliban militants' attack on a German diplomatic mission in Afghanistan in November 2016.

On his part, Bergmanis expressed gratitude to Germany for its contribution to strengthening the Baltic states' security. He also believes that there is still a huge potential for stepping up defense cooperation between the two countries.

Von der Leyen arrived in Latvia on Thursday to discuss with her Latvian counterpart defense cooperation, regional security issues, as well as the implementation of the agreements reached at the NATO Warsaw Summit last year.

In July 2016, Germany brought its Deployable Control and Reporting Center to the Lielvarde air base in eastern Latvia, to ensure allied presence in the region.

The Center served as a part of the NATO airspace surveillance and control system in the Baltics. Endit