“Cooperation between Latvia and the United States of America is built upon a particularly solid foundation. During these 90 years, the U.S. Congress has played a special role in our bilateral relations. During the period of our first independence, the years of occupation and even today it has adopted resolutions marking and celebrating our independence and other significant anniversaries,” stressed Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Saturday, 30 June, when addressing a delegation of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that is on a visit to Latvia.

“Your support was decisive also during the years after the Singing Revolution in the Baltic States, the Barricades and substantial reforms, when we took a determined path towards integration into the family of transatlantic countries. This path ended with our becoming full-fledged member of NATO and the European Union in 2004,” said the Speaker of the Saeima while reminiscing about the history of the bilateral relations.

Referring to the visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that took place on Thursday, Solvita Āboltiņa acknowledged that this is a United States week in Latvia. “Such an intense exchange of visits also has a symbolic significance because after nearly a month it will be the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Latvia and the United States. This event will not be merely the anniversary of a historic event. It will also mark 90 years during which we have jointly protected what is most essential for any country – the desire of its people to live in their own, independent and flourishing state,” pointed out Āboltiņa.

Today Latvia is hosting the largest U.S. Congressional delegation in 20 years, while on Sunday it expects a delegation of U.S. entrepreneurs.

Saeima Press Service