On Tuesday 17 January 2017, the Luxembourg Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, undertook an official visit to Riga, Latvia.

Upon invitation by his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Luxembourg Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, visited the Latvian capital yesterday.

The visit to Latvia forms part of the 25th anniversary of the renewal of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Luxembourg, since the Grand Duchy had never recognised the Baltic countries’ annexation to the Soviet Union.

As well as meeting with the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Jean Asselborn was received by the country’s Prime Minister, Māris Kučinskis, as well as meeting with the president of the Saeima, the Latvian parliament, Ināra Mūrniece, and the president of the Commission for Foreign and European Affairs of the Saeima.

The minister’s discussions with the Latvian authorities focused on the excellent state of relations between Luxembourg and Latvia, in bilateral terms as well as in relation to Benelux-Baltic cooperation and at the centre of the EU presidential trio from 2014 to 2015.

They also exchanged opinions to examine the potential of developing closer bilateral cooperation on an economic and commercial level, as well as in the sectors of logistic, research, education and culture.  Discussions then focused on current big European affairs, such as immigration, the situation in Ukraine and enlargement.  

Furthermore, Jean Asselborn gave a conference on the topic “2017: where is Europe headed?” in front of Latvian diplomats, parliamentarians and students at Riga’s law school.

Photo by MAEE. From left to right: Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg Minister of Foreign and European Affairs; Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvia Minister of Foreign Affairs