RIGA, LATVIA: July 10, 2018, The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau concluded his first bilateral visit to Latvia as a lucrative one for strengthening Latvian-Canadian ties.
Earlier during the visit, The Canadian Prime Minister met with The Latvian Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis and President Raimonds Vējonis, discussed NATO’s vital alms of protecting Eastern, Central Europe and the ways CETA (Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade) creates the employment opportunities in the Atlantic region.
The Prime Minister stated that ”It was a pleasure to meet with Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis and President Raimonds Vējonis to reinforce our strong bilateral relationship, and reaffirm our commitment to NATO’s defence and deterrence measures in Eastern and Central Europe. We will continue to work together to create new economic opportunities for Canadians and Latvians, and Canada will remain a strong and reliable ally, now and into the future”.
The Prime Minister had a chance to meet the members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) deployed on operation REASSURANCE, prolonging Canada’s pledge to the NATO Alliance, Trans-Atlantic security.
The Prime Minister Trudeau also visited the Canadian-led multinational NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battlegroup and The seven other Allied nations that combines to form battlegroup. Observing CAF member’s adherence for side by side training with their Latvian counterparts, The Prime Minister thanked them for their services and said “It was an honour to meet with Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to Latvia on Operation REASSURANCE. I saw firsthand the contributions they are making in Latvia. All Canadians can be proud of how they are representing our country and working with our Allies to maintain security and stability in the region”.
During the visit, The Prime Minister also toured the Adazi Military Base with Latvian Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis along with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, and Canada’s Minister of Defence, Harjit Singh Sajjan and General Jonathan Vance.
The Prime Minister promulgated for the renewal of Canada’s contribution to NATO’s eFP through Operation REASSURANCE for next four years, from April 2019 to March 2023 and announced that Canada will continue to lead NATO’s eFP battlegroup Latvia as the Framework Nation, and will also increase the number of CAF members deployed to Latvia from 455 to 540. He further announced that Canada will continue to include air surveillance, air policing, training, and maritime operations, in addition to the land forces deployed to Latvia.
The Prime Minister Trudeau also took part in a lower laying ceremony in Riga at the Freedom Monument, a memorial honouring the soldiers that lost their lives during the Latvian War of Independence.
The Prime Minister will be continuing his trip of Belgium to attend the NATO Summit..–Edited by Maria Qazi