On April 27, 2022, in Ottawa, Kaspars Ozoliņš, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to Canada, presented a Letter of Credence to Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.
During the conversation with the Governor General, it was mutually agreed that the bilateral relations between Latvia and Canada have historically been very close, as both countries share a common understanding of values and vision of the international order. The Ambassador emphasized that the active bilateral contacts between the countries could be fostered and strengthened by a direct dialogue at the highest level.
Ambassador Ozoliņš praised Canada’s contribution to the strengthening of the security of Latvia and NATO’s eastern flank in general. The increased presence of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia would further advance the long-term security of Latvia, Europe and the entire transatlantic alliance. In order to strengthen NATO deterrence and defence, it is vital to ensure permanent presence of NATO forces in the Baltic States.
Latvia and Canada are partners actively collaborating in multilateral formats with the common goal of safeguarding an international order based on international law with the UN at its center and respect for human rights in the world. This is particularly significant at the present time, with an unprovoked and unjustifiable war waged on Ukraine by Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
The challenges posed by climate change were also discussed.
The accreditation ceremony took place at the Rideau Hall – a national historic site and the residence and workplace of the Governor General of Canada in Ottawa, the capital city.
