On 11 August 2020, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Reinsalu; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Pekka Haavisto; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Jacek Czaputowicz, will arrive in Riga in response to an invitation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and take part in events to mark the centenary of signing the Treaty of Peace between Latvia and Russia. As part of the visit, the Foreign Ministers will discuss the latest foreign policy developments, security and regional cooperation issues.
In addition to a joint discussion, the Ministers also intend to have bilateral meetings. The Latvian, Estonian, Finish and Polish Foreign Ministers will then take part in an exchange of views at an event dedicated to the centenary of the Peace Treaty at Riga Castle. The participants will be addressed by the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, the Speaker of the Saeima, Ināra Mūrniece, and the Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš.
Latvia and Soviet Russia signed a Treaty of Peace in Riga on 11 August 1920. This agreement represented the resolution of the Latvian War of Independence which had begun in November 1918 with the invasion of Soviet Russia into the territory of the newly-proclaimed Republic of Latvia. With this Peace Treaty, the Soviet government voluntarily and irrevocably renounced all sovereign rights of the Russian State over the Latvian people and Latvia’s territory. The Treaty is regarded to be the most important bilateral agreement concluded during the inter-war period, the most frequently cited of Latvia’s international accords and the one most often analysed in research studies.
The original of the Treaty of Peace will be on public display at the Latvian National History Museum at Brīvības bulvāris 32, from 12 to 28 August.
Events for the media on 11 August
- At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
At 11.30 – a joint press conference of the Foreign Ministers of Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Poland. Viewing of the Peace Treaty (Lobby of the Foreign Ministry building, 1st floor. Languages: Latvian–English). Photo and video opportunity.
Members of the media accredited with the Latvian agencies and institutions are asked to register their participation not later than 15:00 on 7 August by contacting the Media Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at e-mail: media@mfa.gov.lv. Please plan your arrival in time but not later than 30 minutes before the event.
Representatives of the media will have the opportunity to follow the press conference online on the website and the Facebook profile of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No remote participation will be available. Participants are requested to comply with restrictions on public gatherings established in the country.
- At Riga Castle:
At 14.00 – an event to mark the centenary of signing the Treaty of Peace between Latvia and Russia (Riga Castle, Pils laukums 3). Photo and video opportunity.
Members of the media who are not accredited for covering events at Riga Castle are invited to apply before 17.00 on 7 August at e-mail prese@president.lv