Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIGA331
2009-06-12 09:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riga
Cable title:  

LATVIA TO PULL OUT OF NRF-14

Tags:  MOPS PREL PGOV EFIN NATO LG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7401
PP RUEHSR
DE RUEHRA #0331 1630908
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 120908Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY RIGA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5896
INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0033
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000331 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2019
TAGS: MOPS PREL PGOV EFIN NATO LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA TO PULL OUT OF NRF-14

REF: A) RIGA 55 B) RIGA 248 C) RIGA 318 D) RIGA 326
E) RIGA 182

Classified By: Charge Bruce D. Rogers. Reason: 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000331

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2019
TAGS: MOPS PREL PGOV EFIN NATO LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA TO PULL OUT OF NRF-14

REF: A) RIGA 55 B) RIGA 248 C) RIGA 318 D) RIGA 326
E) RIGA 182

Classified By: Charge Bruce D. Rogers. Reason: 1.4 (d)


1. (U) Latvia will not be able to meet its commitment to
participate in NRF-14 as part of the Baltic Battalion due to
its budgetary situation, Latvian CHOD MG Juris Maklakovs
announced on June 11. Maklakovs said he was "embarrassed" to
have go to NATO and say that Latvia could not fulfill its
commitments. Maklakovs and others reaffirmed that Latvia
will remain committed to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.


2. (C) Finance Minister Repse placed heavy pressure for
reductions in Afghanistan to save money, but Defense Minister
Liegis resisted. Liegis instead agreed to the NRF reduction,
feeling he had little choice, the minister explained to the
Charge June 12. Liegis has to call his Lithuanian and
Estonian counterparts to explain the decision. He too said
he was "embarrassed" to make those calls.


3. (C) Comment: Although the Latvians had originally hoped to
preserve the NRF mission, they had been previewing for us
that this might be a possibility if further budget cuts were
needed as the economy worsened (refs a and b). With the
government seeking to cut roughly a billion dollars
additionally from the deficit, and with reductions in
pensions and social services, the defense budget was not off
limits (refs c and d). While disappointing, we need to
remain focused on supporting Latvian efforts in Afghanistan
(ref e).
ROGERS