LATVIA WELCOMES GICNT TOR PROPOSED REVISIONS

UNCLAS RIGA 000012 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO GLOBAL INITIATIVE PARTNER NATIONS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL PTER KGIC LG SUBJECT: LATVIA WELCOMES GICNT TOR PROPOSED REVISIONS REF: SECSTATE 130750 ¶1. Latvia welcomed receipt of the Co-Chairs' proposed revisions to the GICNT terms of reference (TOR) and promised to review the document carefully in advance of the January 19 Exercise Planning Group meeting in Budapest. Latvia will participate in the January 19 meeting, but will be represented only by its local Embassy staff given the MFA's recent severe travel budget cuts. Latvia expressed a desire to participate in the June 2010 Plenary, but said its participation would be determined by the location of the Plenary and its travel budget at that time. ¶2. The Embassy delivered reftel TOR to Raimonds Oskalns, Head of the MFA's Arms Control and Nonproliferation Division, on January 5. Oskalns welcomed the document and noted that he had received a copy from the Russian Embassy in the previous week. Oskalns expressed some skepticism about the need for a revised TOR, but said they would support any changes that would enhance implementation of the initiative and looked forward to reviewing the document. ROGERS