Kalvitis officially resigns as Latvian PM; Lavrov invited

UNCLAS RIGA 000895 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL RS LG SUBJECT: Kalvitis officially resigns as Latvian PM; Lavrov invited ¶1. On December 5, Latvian PM Aigars Kalvitis submitted his resignation to President Zatlers, as he pledged last month. Under the Latvian constitution, the resignation also covers all ministers and the government goes in to caretaker mode until the Saeima (parliament) approves a new government. Kalvitis is the longest continually serving PM since the restoration of independence in ¶1991. ¶2. President Zatlers will name his choice to form the next government. This announcement is expected the week of December 10. The only official candidate at this point is New Era MEP (and former Finance Minister) Valdis Dombrovskis. (We will report more on the selection process in coming days). ¶3. In one of its last official acts before resigning, the government announced that it had invited Russian FM Lavrov to visit Riga December 18. The main purpose of the visit would be the exchange instruments of ratification on the Latvia - Russia border treaty. Bailey