Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

Press Report

Last Thursday

Last Thursday "Tevzemei un Brivibai" issued a statement criticizing Saeima Speaker Alfreds Cepanis for his remarks made during the visit of the Latvian delegation to Moscow. Member of the delegation Juris Sinka (Tevzemei un Brivibai) told the press that Cepanis in his statements "doubted the European orientation of Latvia's foreign politics and the international importance of the Declaration on Occupation, and spoke in favor of establishing closer relations with Russia". Mr. Sinka quoted the Saeima Speaker who said that Latvia, while seeing NATO membership as a security guarantee, was open to other options and guarantees. He also criticized Mr. Cepanis for suggesting to resolve the border issue on the basis of the Helsinki Final Act. Juris Sinka stressed that the Act could not be applied to Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania since those countries were occupied and could not sign the document. Diena

President Ulmanis and Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs say that Latvia will decline all suggestions of concluding a trilateral agreement with NATO and Russia guaranteeing the country's security. Such a suggestion was made by Deputy-Speaker of the Russian

President Ulmanis and Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs say that Latvia will decline all suggestions of concluding a trilateral agreement with NATO and Russia guaranteeing the country's security. Such a suggestion was made by Deputy-Speaker of the Russian Duma Aleksandr Shohin. Mr. Birkavs explained that Russia, being a guarantor of Latvia's security, would have the right to require that Latvia satisfied its demands on "the so-called human rights issues" and abandoned its plans of joining NATO. Diena