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 Review

Press Review

Yesterday there was the first meeting of the US - Baltic Partnership Commission, in which the Foreign Affairs Ministers of three Baltic States and the US Deputy State Secretary Strobe Talbotte participated. At the opening of the meeting, Mr. Talbotte said that if Russia could perceive the Baltic States not as a buffer zone against imagined enemies, but as the gates to new Europe in which it itself would be an active participant, all countries would only gain. "We all would feel more safe,"Mr. Talbotte said. Referring to the Latvian Citizenship Law amedments, he said that if some members of the society are deprived of opportunities and obligations of the citizenship, the whole society suffers from that. At the press conference the US representative welcomed the Citizenship Law amendments which correspond with the OSCE recommendations, and once they come into force, no country", especially Russia, would have grounds to use the tactics of "pressure." The participants of the meeting signed a joint communiqué which

Yesterday there was the first meeting of the US - Baltic Partnership Commission, in which the Foreign Affairs Ministers of three Baltic States and the US Deputy State Secretary Strobe Talbotte participated. At the opening of the meeting, Mr. Talbotte said that if Russia could perceive the Baltic States not as a buffer zone against imagined enemies, but as the gates to new Europe in which it itself would be an active participant, all countries would only gain. "We all would feel more safe,"Mr. Talbotte said. Referring to the Latvian Citizenship Law amedments, he said that if some members of the society are deprived of opportunities and obligations of the citizenship, the whole society suffers from that. At the press conference the US representative welcomed the Citizenship Law amendments which correspond with the OSCE recommendations, and once they come into force, no country", especially Russia, would have grounds to use the tactics of "pressure." The participants of the meeting signed a joint communiqué which inter alia envisages to put more efforts in development of security and stability in the region including Russia into the regional co-operation. Diena, Jauna Avize

Yesterday at the press conference following the two day visit of the Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski, the Latvian State President Guntis Ulmanis stressed that Latvia should get a confirmation from the OSCE that the latest OSCE recommendations will not be followed by new ones which Latvia would be unable to fulfil. When asked by the 

Yesterday at the press conference following the two day visit of the Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski, the Latvian State President Guntis Ulmanis stressed that Latvia should get a confirmation from the OSCE that the latest OSCE recommendations will not be followed by new ones which Latvia would be unable to fulfil. When asked by theDiena journalist whether the presiding country of the OSCE - Poland- can extend such guarantees, Mr. Kwasniewski did not give a straight answer, but said that the minority issues should be solved in a civilised manner in accordance with the OSCE standards. He also stressed the need for the dialogue between Russians and Latvians. Mr. Kwasniewski expressed a hope that the Citizenship Law amendments will be implemented. Diena

Dienapublishes an article by the Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister Tarja Halonen (spelling?) in which she argues that being a good participant in the OSCE and the Council of Europe, Latvia ensures the stability of its application to the European Union. She also states that the recent decision of the Saeima concerning the Citizenship law amendments was the crucially important step to fulfil the recommendations of the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel. Diena

Some 200 residents of Valka, the Latvian border town with Estonia, participated in a picket at the border check point demanding the free border crossing for residents of Valka and Valga.

Some 200 residents of Valka, the Latvian border town with Estonia, participated in a picket at the border check point demanding the free border crossing for residents of Valka and Valga. Diena

SM publishes a letter of the Russian Public Council (published by the Panorama Latvii on 4 July) in which it demands the "zero" version for granting of citizenship, the status of the second official language for the Russian language, and the education in the Russian language to be funded by the State.