On 20 September 2021, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, received accreditation visits from the new Ambassador of the State of Israel, Sharon Rappaport Palgi, and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Elnur Sultanov, as well as having an online farewell meeting with the Ambassador of Egypt, Alaa Hegazy.
During the meeting with the Ambassador of Israel, the State Secretary noted in particular the positive development of bilateral relations between the two countries and their close people-to-people contacts. The Ambassador of Israel confirmed that in her work she intended to focus on the strengthening of the bilateral political dialogue and intensifying business contacts, especially in sectors with a high value added and concerning innovations. The diplomats were in agreement that the relations between Latvia and Israel should be further developed, including in terms of activities to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations due in January 2022. The Israeli Ambassador informed the State Secretary about latest developments in Israel and the Middle East and recent efforts of Israel to build trust in Israeli-Palestinian relations so as to reduce the risks of further escalation of the security situation.
In a meeting with the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, discussions focused on the bilateral relations between the two countries, latest developments in the EU-Azerbaijani relations, and the state of play in the South Caucasus region. The Ambassador pointed out that Latvia was a key partner of strategic importance, and Azerbaijan highly valued Latvia’s unwavering support for its territorial integrity. Elnur Sultanov made a commitment to strengthening of the relations between Latvia and Azerbaijan in various fields making a special note of business and cultural cooperation and building contacts at various levels. The State Secretary also noted that Latvia was prepared to further share its reform experience with Azerbaijan in order to strengthen cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.
Saying farewell to the Ambassador of Egypt via a video-conferencing platform, the State Secretary thanked the Ambassador for his contribution to the strengthening of bilateral relations between Latvia and Egypt. The officials praised the bilateral consultation mechanism between their foreign services. The Ambassador of Egypt proposed that the next political consultations be organised in Cairo. The State Secretary confirmed Latvia’s intention to continue developing cooperation with Egypt, especially in the ICT sector and in the field of education and science. The Egyptian Ambassador noted that Latvia has raised its profile among Egyptian students and he invited Latvian universities to consider opening their branches in Egypt. The State Secretary and the Ambassador also discussed opportunities offered by the EU-Egypt dialogue in the context of the EU’s relaunched Southern Neighbourhood Policy, which also makes it possible for Latvia to get involved in addressing the region’s most urgent problems, for instance, irregular migration and the negative consequences of climate change.