US - Baltic Co-operation
US-Baltic Partnership Charter
Long-term cooperation between Latvia and the United States of America was defined on January 16, 1998 when the US- Baltic Partnership Charter was signed. The aim of the Charter is fix the mutual political commitment of the Baltic States and the US to assist each other as the Baltic States reintegrate themselves completely into transatlantic political, economic, security and defense organizations.
The Charter has become an essential component of US policy in Northern Europe. The US Northern Europe Initiative seeks to develop and assist closer cooperation between the Nordic countries, the Baltic States and Russia, as well as between the Baltic States themselves.
Structures for Cooperation
The principal structure of cooperation between the four countries is the Partnership Commission.
The commission meets once a year, and during these sessions bilateral issues are discussed, as well as results in the economic, military and other fields; moreover, the progress of the work of the Charter is reviewed.
Since its inception, the Commission has met in:
8 July, 1998, Riga, Latvia
16 July 1999, Washington
7 June 2000, Tallin, Estonia
10 December 2001, Washington
Two Bilateral Working groups have been established under the Commission:
Bilateral Economic Working Group
The purpose of this group is to find ways to encourage US investment and two-way trade, and to assist in the economic development of Latvia. The working group meets once a year.
Meetings of the group have taken place:
26 May 1998, Washington
11 March 1999, Washington
6 April 2000, Riga
22 May 2001, Washington
Bilateral Working Group on Defense and Military Issues
The purpose of this working group is to strengthen cooperation between Latvia and the US in defense and military spheres and to assist the Latvian armed forces in their development and bring them closer to NATO standards. This working group was created well before the Charter was signed. It meets once a year and the last meeting was in Washington on 20-21 March 2000. The next meeting is scheduled for the spring of 2002.
Cooperation on Defense Issues
Cooperation with the United States is one of Latvia's defense policy priorities. That cooperation rests on the memorandum of understanding that was signed in 1995 between the Latvian Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense, with respect to cooperation in the defense and military fields. The political, financial and technical material assistance provided by the United States in the development of Latvia's defense system and in furthering Baltic States cooperation has been significant.
To Latvia is accredited the US Defense and Naval Attaché Col. Jeffrey Seng (11.06.99) resident in Riga and US Air force Attaché Michael Sheen (29.09.99) resident in Stockholm.
Col. Valdis Matiss is the military Attaché accredited in the United States.
A major role was played by Major General H. Kievenaar's findings and recommendations for the long-term development of the Latvian defense system. Those recommendations have become an integral part of the Latvia's defense planning and form the back-bone of its Membership Action Plan.
Latvian-US cooperation in the military field takes place:
1. In the field of training - IMET program (International Military Education and Training)
2. Technical Assistance - FMF program (Foreign Military Financing) - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, a total of $21 million for 2002; $23.5 million for 2003.
3. In the context of Military Liaison Group and Partnership for Peace, the United States supports Latvia's participation in PfP training exercises and in their planning.
Cooperation also takes place in the context of the development of:
BALTBAT (Baltic Battalion)
BALTRON (Baltic Naval Squadron)
BALTNET (Baltic Air Surveillance Network)
BALTDEFCOL (Baltic Defense College)
Cooperation on Legal Issues
The United States has provided a significant investment in the development of justice matters - technical support, and expert consultations with respect to actual legal issues. With the assistance of the United States Latvian representatives have been given the opportunity to participate in conferences and educational courses.
In 2000, the FBI organized seminars for Latvian policemen and prosecutors with respect to issues relating to internal control, investigations and anti-corruption techniques.
On September 20, 2001, the US and Latvian governments signed a memorandum of understanding that would lead to the establishment of a Anti-Corruption Bureau and in the reform of the criminal process in Latvia. The US would provide funding in the sum of $US 255, 000 a year.
Cooperation is on-going between the Latvian Incarceration Agency and the US Prison Association and the Institute for Corrections, and other organizations that provide information, personnel exchanges and attendance at conferences dealing with correction issues.
The Naturalization Authority has received considerable support from the US with respect to the implementation of projects related to social integration. In preparation are language training materials for those applying for citizenship.
In September 2001, implementation of a public information program began, whose object is to inform the public about citizenship issues and to increase the rate of naturalization.
Economic cooperation
The United States of America is one of Latvia's most important economic partners, and a significant investor in Latvia's economy.
Latvia's trade turnover with the US in the first 9 months of 2001 was $US 84.5 million (2.1% of Latvia's total trade turnover) Latvia exported to the US goods worth $US 35.5 million (2.4% of total exports) Latvia imported from the US goods worth $US 49 million (1.9% of total imports).
Activities of the NATO integration process.