Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I wish to welcome you here in Riga Castle!
First of all, I wish to introduce my staff to you: one of our best diplomats, Head of the Chancery Mr Andris Teikmanis (before this position, he has been an ambassador in Berlin, in Moscow and recently in the Unites States of America); Deputy Head of the Chancery Ms Laila Jurcēna, she is a constitutional lawyer, and will return in Riga on 1st October); Adviser on Issues of Rule of Law and EU Legal Policy, Head of the Office of the Presidential Advisers Ms Irēna Kucina; Legal Policy Adviser Mr Jānis Pleps; Foreign Affairs Adviser Ms Solveiga Silkalna; National Security Adviser Mr Jānis Kažociņš; Public Relations Adviser Ms Aiva Rozenberga; Adviser for Information and Digital Policy Ms Ieva Ilvesa; Adviser on Modern State and Sustainability Issues Ms Elīna Pinto; Smart Technology Adviser Mr Rolands Lappuķe; Science and Education Policy Adviser Ms Ieva Siliņa; Adviser on Historical Memory and Affiliation Issues Mr Juris Klotiņš; Head of Protocol Ms Anete Krieva.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I have met already some of you, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your contribution to Latvia’s foreign relations and international ties with Europe and with the whole world.
Today is also a day of celebration in Latvia, because exactly today but 28 years ago Latvia joined the United Nations. Next week (and it will be the first time for me) I will go to New York to the General Assembly of the United Nations. In my speech I will stress especially the rule of law in international relations, the rule of law in international law, and also problems of climate change, problems of democracy and other issues.
I hope that we will work together in order to strengthen Latvian ties with other states and also in order to promote the unity in Europe. Thank you very much! I’m looking forward to your cooperation and health!
