The top diplomats also discussed the most important items on the international agenda, paying special attention to the situation in Belarus and Ukraine. Minister Zbigniew Rau thanked Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs for Latvia’s solidarity with persecuted representatives of the Polish minority in Belarus. The two chiefs of diplomacy strongly condemned the Belarusian authorities’ actions against the democratic opposition, including the grounding of the Ryanair plane and arresting Roman Protasevich. Expressing his regret over the continuing Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Minister Rau recalled that this issue will be one of our priorities during Poland’s chairmanship of the OSCE.

Eastern policy and security issues were also discussed during Minister Zbigniew Rau’s meeting with President of Latvia Egils Levits and Speaker of the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) Ināra Mūrniece. The head of Polish diplomacy thanked for the hosts’ kindliness towards the Polish minority in Latvia, and, referring to President Egils Levits’s participation in this year’s celebrations marking the 230th anniversary of the 3 May Constitution, he underscored the Act’s significance to the cultural heritage of our region.

 While in Riga, Minister Zbigniew Rau also met with soldiers of the Polish Military Contingent stationing at the Latvian Ādaži base.

 The Polish foreign minister paid a working visit to Riga at the invitation of Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs. The meeting was held on the initiative of the Polish side. It was Minister Rau’s first visit to Latvia – Poland’s important partner and ally.

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski /MFA