RIGA, Jan 16, BNS – Latvian Prime Minister Einars Repse ordered defense and foreign ministers to prepare models for possible actions by Latvia in the event of the Iraqi crisis aggravating, Foreign Minister Sandra Kalniete and Defense Minister Girts Valdis Kristovskis told BNS following the meeting with the premier.
Kalniete said: “We were ordered to start working on possible support scenarios by Latvia”.
Kristovskis and Kalniete were ordered to follow developments each in their own sphere “so Latvia has a precisely prepared position and all the possible probabilities if the crisis is aggravating”. Kristovskis said Latvia as the ally of the U.S. and NATO will note the necessity to provide its contribution to the joint measures of the alliance, if needed. Latvia will be ready to provide its support to the allies within the range of its possibilities if the alliance “turns to Latvia for support”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Rets Plesums quoted Kalniete as saying. “Latvia’s policy towards Iraq remains unchanged. Iraq must comply with the United Nations Security Council resolutions and must disarm, giving up weapons of mass destruction,” said Kalniete and added “the international community must act energetically in order to ensure implementation of Security Council resolution if Iraq is not ready to meet those terms”.
Defense and foreign ministers have to prepare all the possible models of actions by Latvia and opinions for consideration at the National Security Council Jan. 29.
