Chronology of Co-operation between Latvia and NATO 2004

April 2, 2004

A flag - raising ceremony was held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels to celebrate the accession of Latvia and other new member states to the North Atlantic Organization (NATO). Latvia was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rihards Pīks and his delegation consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense. A special meeting of North Atlantic Council and an informal working meeting of 26 NATO Foreign ministers were held after the flag-raising ceremony.

March 29, 2004

During the ceremony in Washington, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia Indulis Emsis handed in Accession instruments of the North Atlantic Treaty to the U.S. Secretary of State Collin Powell. This marks the completion of legal formalities of Latvia-s accession process to NATO and Latvia-s full membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.

March 11, 2004

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer paid visit to Latvia. During his visit he delivered a speech in the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia, Saeima, met with the speaker of the Parliament Ingrīda Ūdre, the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, The Minister of Defence Atis Slakteris as well as with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rihards Pīks.

March 1, 2004

Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sandra Kalniete, received a letter from NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stating that all NATO member countries have notified the government of the United States of their acceptance of the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Latvia and the six other candidate countries. The letter also extends an invitation to accede to the North Atlantic Treaty.

February 26, 2004 

The parliament of the Republic of Latvia, Saeima, passed the law on Latvia's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty of 4 April 1949. This was one of the prerequisites for Latvia's full-fledged membership of NATO.

February 16, 2004

The members of NATO Parliamentary Assembly from NATO member and - for the first time - also from the invited countries met at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. During their discussions, representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly and NATO touched upon issues related to the agenda of the Alliance before the Istanbul summit, including the Afghanistan operation, transatlantic relations, and cooperation with its partners.

February 5, 2004

National Assembly of France approved NATO enlargement with a positive vote on NATO Accession Protocols of the seven invited countries.

January 15, 2004

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sandra Kalniete met with the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Miroslav Kostelka who was paying a visit to Latvia. During the meeting they talked about such issues as cooperation between Latvia and Czech Republic, NATO and EU security policy issues, NATO and Russia relations as well as security situation in Iraq.