The officials also discussed the issue of global climate change that Ban Ki-moon had set as one of his priorities. “Latvia appreciates your efforts to draw international attention to those major challenges, and we are ready to provide our support so that the Climate Change Summit planed in Paris at the end of this year would provide the desired results,” said Raimonds Vējonis. The President of Latvia also stressed the role of the UN Secretary-General in formation of more efficient international peacekeeping missions, and he also confirmed that Latvia was getting prepared for its first peacekeeping operation within the UN troops, which could take place in Mali next year.
During a meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Mr. Ángel Gurría, the President of Latvia thanked for his current support during Latvia’s accession negotiations, by reminding that the OECD membership was one of the central questions on the agenda of Latvian economics and politics. Mr. Ángel Gurría welcomed conscientious attitude and competence of Latvia while tackling the issues pertaining to accession to the OECD, but he pointed out the areas that should be paid more attention like management of state-owned corporations and combating bribery. Raimonds Vējonis admitted that intensive work was expected in the coming months to remedy the situation, “Both accession to the OECD that we hope to accomplish in 2016 and the preparation process for admission itself are a very good chance to make the necessary reforms ourselves and to adopt best practices from other Member countries.”
The President of Latvia held several other bilateral meetings on Saturday. When discussing development of political and economic bilateral relations with the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Raimonds Vējonis pointed out that the previous exchange of visits between the Presidents promoted closer co-operation and that opening of a regional embassy of Turkmenistan in Riga would further enhance the quality of bilateral relations. The President of Latvia reminded that Latvia and Turkmenistan had similar positions on many international issues like the issue of possible solutions in Afghanistan and the fight against international terrorism. Both Presidents also agreed that bilateral co-operation in the field of education in addition to expansion of economic relations had potential and that several fields of studies offered by Latvian universities (transportation, medicine, aviation, finances) might be interesting to young people from Turkmenistan.
Raimonds Vējonis also expressed the hope that the President of Turkmenistan would engage, by appointing a responsible authority for arrangement of the grave of Karlis Ulmanis in the city of Turkmenbashi, because practical cooperation lacked in this matter so far. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov expressed his commitment to provide necessary assistance in finding a solution - either by arranging the grave of Karlis Ulmanis or by assisting in reburial of his mortal remains if Latvia expressed such a wish. The President of Turkmenistan also invited a Latvian delegation to visit ceremonial celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality in Ashgabat in December this year, by stressing that it would be an opportunity to discuss a number of issues related to trade, transit, cooperation among ports, and energy security.
During a meeting with the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Jusuf Kalla, Raimonds Vējonis expressed satisfaction with opening of an Honorary Consulate of Indonesia in Riga in August last year and encouraged to continue negotiations in order to conclude an agreement on cooperation in the field of culture, by encouraging Indonesia to focus on this issue as well. “As the Latvian businessmen have growing interest in business opportunities in the far Asian markets, Latvia is interested in expanding cooperation both in tourism and economics, and an Agreement of air traffic with Indonesia and an agreement on exemption of diplomatic passport holders from visa requirement would simplify much in this respect,” said Raimonds Vējonis.
The President of Latvia will continue his working visit to the USA on Sunday with his participation and address at the Global Leaders' meeting on Achieving Gender Equality and Women's empowerment, co-hosted by President Xi and UNSG, as well as his participation in the Post-2015 Plenary of the Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The President of Latvia and the delegation will continue the visit in the USA and the 70th session of the UN general Assembly until October 3.