Press Report

Deputy-Director of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Department Demurin says Skele’s visit to Moscow will not be held on the scheduled date. The reasons, according to Demurin, are the adoption of the Declaration on Occupation and one of the latest decrees by the Riga City Council. Demurin says the decree restricts the right of noncitizens to privatise their apartments. The decree by the Riga City Council demands a special CID certificate to be attached by noncitizens to documents proving their right to privatise an apartment. The certificate is to confirm their right to receive a new noncitizen’s passport. Skele’s meeting with Chernomyrdin has been scheduled for September 13.

Deputy-Director of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Department Demurin says Skeles visit to Moscow will not be held on the scheduled date. The reasons, according to Demurin, are the adoption of the Declaration on Occupation and one of the latest decrees by the Riga City Council. Demurin says the decree restricts the right of noncitizens to privatise their apartments. The decree by the Riga City Council demands a special CID certificate to be attached by noncitizens to documents proving their right to privatise an apartment. The certificate is to confirm their right to receive a new noncitizens passport. Skeles meeting with Chernomyrdin has been scheduled for September 13. DIENA has already referred to anonymous sources in Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying the meeting will not be cancelled. Diena, Neatkariga

At his yesterday’s press-conference Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Povilas Gilis warned Latvia against ratifying its agreement with AMOCO and OPAB. The agreement expires October 31. He said the Lithuanian Government would take adequate steps in case the

At his yesterdays press-conference Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Povilas Gilis warned Latvia against ratifying its agreement with AMOCO and OPAB. The agreement expires October 31. He said the Lithuanian Government would take adequate steps in case the Saeima ratified the agreements. Gilis said he hoped the agreement would not be ratified and the talks on the issue would be resumed. The Saeima supported the suggestion made by the Foreign Affairs Committee and cancelled the ratification of the agreement. Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs told DIENA he believed the problem to be largely exaggerated by the Lithuanian side partly as part of the election campaign in the country. He hopes talks between Latvian and Lithuanian Prime-Ministers and delegations to be started next Monday will contribute to resolving the problem. SM

Press Review

Yesterday Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a note protesting against Latvia agreeing with oil companies on exploratory operations in the Baltic Sea areas without resolving the maritime border problem with Lithuania. The note was handed over to the Latvian Ambassador to Lithuania Mr. Sjantis. The document declares the agreement invalid. Lithuanian Government will not agree to any illegal activities violating its sovereignty South of the line drawn between its land border and a point stated in the note. The note suggests the Government of Latvia to suspend all activities connected with its agreement with the oil companies and to discuss the concept of a joint exploiting of the oil field. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania also called upon AMOCO and OPAP companies to abstain from making statements on their right for exploratory operations in the disputable area. The move by the Lithuanian Government shows a tendency to a much firmer stand toward the maritime border problem and can be interpreted as an attempt to establish the border unilaterally.

Yesterday Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a note protesting against Latvia agreeing with oil companies on exploratory operations in the Baltic Sea areas without resolving the maritime border problem with Lithuania. The note was handed over to the Latvian Ambassador to Lithuania Mr. Sjantis. The document declares the agreement invalid. Lithuanian Government will not agree to any illegal activities violating its sovereignty South of the line drawn between its land border and a point stated in the note. The note suggests the Government of Latvia to suspend all activities connected with its agreement with the oil companies and to discuss the concept of a joint exploiting of the oil field. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania also called upon AMOCO and OPAP companies to abstain from making statements on their right for exploratory operations in the disputable area. The move by the Lithuanian Government shows a tendency to a much firmer stand toward the maritime border problem and can be interpreted as an attempt to establish the border unilaterally. Diena, B&B

The “Unity” Party and

The Unity Party and Saimnieks factions are planning to sign an agreement on forming a block in the Saeima. Deputy-Chairman of the Unity party Svitrins told DIENA the parties had already agreed on conditions to be observed by both sides. The factions will sign the agreement by the end of this week. Diena

Press Report

Governing coalition factions criticise the coalition agreement and working program drafted by Prime-Minister Skele. Faction members interviewed by

Governing coalition factions criticise the coalition agreement and working program drafted by Prime-Minister Skele. Faction members interviewed by DIENA believe both documents to be incomplete. Yesterday the coalition factions formed a working group to generalise proposals made by the factions and to draft final versions of the two documents. Saimnieks has already come up with its own draft agreement that provides the factions with the right to amend the list of Prime-Ministers planned activities. According to a spokesman for Saimnieks, this would prevent the plan from remaining Skeles individual program instead of being a program for the entire Government. Saimnieks also insists on the coalition factions being represented in the Government proportionally to the number of seats in the Saeima in case the Cabinet is reorganised. Tevzemei un Brivibaiobjects against the new agreement cancelling any of the points of the existing document on co-operation between the factions. TB also does not agree to the introduction of a free land market being a part of the Government program. Andrejs Pantelejevs of Latvijas Celssays his party has its own objections but refused to give any details. The FarmersUnion/ Christian Democratic faction also criticises the draft agreement while the Unity faction will suggest amendments on agriculture. LNNK has not prepared any suggestions yet. Prime-Minister Skele is said to be ready to discuss the draft agreement. Still, he is not likely to agree to altering the Government working program. He says the factions can only add their suggestions to the draft program without removing any of its points. Otherwise they are to leave the coalition or to replace the Prime-Minister, says Skele. Diena

Ainars Dimants

Ainars Dimants (DIENA) believes the forming of the Constitutional Court should be taken more seriously by the Saeima. The Law on the Constitutional Court was adopted by the Saeima on June 6. Suggested candidates to be elected the judges of the Court are not known to the public, and the author of the article doubts their professional skills. Diena

Today the

Today the Saeima is expected to review the Declaration on Latvias Occupation. The official purpose of the Declaration is to inform the international community of the fact of occupation. According to an article in SM the purpose of the document is to justify low living standards by the consequences of occupation and to threaten noncitizens willing to take Russian citizenship. The author of the article believes the Saeima will adopt the most liberal version of the declaration drafted by the Juridical Committee. SM

Press Report

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the three Baltic states, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland held a meeting in Riga yesterday. Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs told the press the agenda included cooperation in the Baltic region. Participants of the meeting agreed that a country has the right to choose an acceptable form of cooperation to guarantee its security. Baltic representatives confirmed their willingness to join NATO already during the first stage of its extension. Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that Sweden, being a non-aligned country, would not provide any special security guarantees to the Baltic states. She added that Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania could strengthen their security by integrating into the European Union and by participating in the Partnership for Peace Program. All the participants of the meeting agreed about the importance of Russia's participation in resolving security issues in the region.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the three Baltic states, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland held a meeting in Riga yesterday. Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs told the press the agenda included cooperation in the Baltic region. Participants of the meeting agreed that a country has the right to choose an acceptable form of cooperation to guarantee its security. Baltic representatives confirmed their willingness to join NATO already during the first stage of its extension. Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that Sweden, being a non-aligned country, would not provide any special security guarantees to the Baltic states. She added that Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania could strengthen their security by integrating into the European Union and by participating in the Partnership for Peace Program. All the participants of the meeting agreed about the importance of Russia's participation in resolving security issues in the region. Diena

"Svenska Dagbladet" (August 18) referred to an anonymous USA Government official in an article on the NATO expansion project. The official gave the highlights of the expansion program currently drafted by the US. The process includes the following points:
1. First East-European countries to join NATO (around 1999)are Poland and, probably, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovenia.
2. Stable, secure, and well-coordinated relations will be established between NATO and Russia.
3. The Partnership for Peace Program will be strengthened to ensure that the Baltic states do not form a "grey zone" between NATO and Russia's borders.
4. Integration of East-European countries into European economic structures will be stimulated.

According to the US official quoted by

According to the US official quoted by "SD", the concept does not provide for the admission of the three Baltic States to NATO offering their active participation in the partnership for Peace program instead. Neatkariga

Yesterday the Saeima Committee on Defense accomplished the review of the Law on the Military Service. Prime-Minister Skele agreed to exercise his right to summon an extraordinary Saeima plenary meeting on the draft law. According to the draft law all citizens 19 to 27 years old are to be drafted for a one year-long military service. Unlike the previous reading, the current draft applies also to graduates having a master's degree. Young people will be entitled to state-guaranteed credits for the purchase of an apartment or for building a house after accomplishing their service. Noncitizens and women will have the right to volunteer for the army. Noncitizens will be given the right to obtain Latvian citizenship through extraordinary naturalization after accomplishing their service.

Yesterday the Saeima Committee on Defense accomplished the review of the Law on the Military Service. Prime-Minister Skele agreed to exercise his right to summon an extraordinary Saeima plenary meeting on the draft law. According to the draft law all citizens 19 to 27 years old are to be drafted for a one year-long military service. Unlike the previous reading, the current draft applies also to graduates having a master's degree. Young people will be entitled to state-guaranteed credits for the purchase of an apartment or for building a house after accomplishing their service. Noncitizens and women will have the right to volunteer for the army. Noncitizens will be given the right to obtain Latvian citizenship through extraordinary naturalization after accomplishing their service. Neatkariga