Latvia discussing new military exercises with US
by Desmond Butler

The Associated Press    Translate This Article
11 October 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Georgia, Latvia is talking with the United States about expanding joint military exercises and cooperation.

The Latvian foreign minister, Maris Riekstins, discussed the issue this week with senior Bush administration officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Riekstins emphasized in an interview with The Associated Press that Latvia, an ex-Soviet republic and current NATO member, does not feel threatened by Russia's move against Georgia in August but is evaluating how that brief war affects Latvia's security.

'The recent developments in the Caucasus, in Georgia, have led us to a situation that we have to analyze to figure out whether the situation has any security implications,' he said. 'We have seen that the Russian leadership is ready to move forward to defend their positions very aggressively.'

After Russia's invasion of Georgia in August, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, all former Soviet republics bordered on the west by the Baltic Sea and on the east by Russia or Belarus, have looked to NATO for assurances about its guarantees to protect all members and consider an attack against any member an attack on all.

Riekstins noted that NATO jets based in Lithuania already patrol Baltic airspace. He said Lithuania would like to see new NATO operations and an expansion of military exercises in the Baltics with NATO partners, including the United States. He said U.S. and Latvian military experts already are discussing the idea.

Riekstins said the exercises would be focused on strengthening Latvia's military capabilities but also would demonstrate the NATO and Western commitment to protecting the Baltics.

'We are thinking about additional activities in order to improve our capabilities,' he said. 'Visibility is always an important aspect.'

Riekstins also dismissed a proposal by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for a new European-Atlantic security treaty to supersede NATO.

'We don't believe that NATO needs to be replaced,' he said.

He said it was ironic that even after Russia invaded Georgia, Medvedev has been pitching the new organization as something based on the principal of not using force to solve conflict.

'In this particular time frame, that is rather interesting, not to say bizarre,' he said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated PressCopyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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