Latvia backs scrapping visas between Russia and the European Union.
It may be too early to speak of a reset in relations between Russia and Latvia but these two countries that have a history of unfriendly relations have apparently warmed up toward one another. This is the main outcome of Latvian President Valdis Zatlers's negotiations with President Medvedev, and Latvia's first state visit since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The fact that the two countries' relations are improving is evidenced by the number of documents signed – there were nine – but also by the simple yet unexpected declaration that Latvia backs the elimination of visas between Russia and the EU. "I believe it is important that Latvia, bordering on Russia, state its support for this process," Latvian President Valdis Zatlers said at a joint news conference.
"Russia's relationships with the former Soviet republics and Eastern Europe have begun improving," Sergei Karaganov, presidium chairman of the Foreign and Defence Policy Council, told Izvestia. "An understanding has set in that one should not count on the United States or at least that one should not count on the US pursuing a hostile policy toward Russia. Moreover, economic conditions are deteriorating all across Europe, especially in Latvia. Latvia is among the countries that have been hit the hardest by the crisis. It needs new markets and new partners."
So, Latvia has stretched its hand out to Russia for purely pragmatic reasons. But Russia has some good reasons too. It's not for nothing that the talks touched upon the discrimination against Russian-speaking non-citizens in Latvia who are deprived of some civil rights, including the right to vote. Sooner or later, Latvia will have to resolve the issue of non-citizens to "help them adapt and take a normal part in social, economic and political life", as Dmitry Medvedev said. He clarified that this issue was "not an idle matter of interest" for Russia.
The establishment of a historical commission under the auspices of the two countries' academies of sciences is another rapprochement move. Clearly, one cannot allay every difference during an official visit. By the way, Dmitry Medvedev intends to visit Riga at his Latvian counterpart's invitation. The commission will supervise this. As Medvedev explained, this should "allow access to archives that have not been opened yet and that are essential for shedding light on various events in our common past."
"Our history has been strongly politicised in recent years, and it needs to be somewhat distanced from politics, though this is hard to achieve," Alexei Komarov told Izvestia. Komarov is head of the Centre for the History of Northern Europe and the Baltic Countries at the Institute of General History, Russian Academy of Sciences. "The main thing is not to reduce the history of the relationship between Russia and Latvia to three occupations, as many historians in Latvia are currently writing."
On Monday Dmitry Medvedev issued a resolution for veterans of the Great Patriotic War – Russian citizens residing in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – to be paid 5,000 roubles. In addition to veterans, former underage prisoners of Nazi ghettos and concentration camps and widows of service members who fell during the Winter War, the Great Patriotic War and the Soviet-Japanese War are also eligible for the one-time payment. Moreover, widows of veterans of the Great Patriotic war will also receive 5,000 roubles.
Later that day, Valdis Zatlers visited Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's residence at Novo-Ogaryovo.
"And we would be glad if our bilateral relations were a factor that, first, would help us mitigate the consequences of the global crisis and, second, would be a substantial factor to put our economies on the steady track of development. I'm referring to the fact that we have a good starting point for this, from what we've inherited from the past," Vladimir Putin said. He added that Latvian goods were in demand in the Russian market and that strong cooperation had been established between the two countries in the past.
Mr Zatlers told the Russian prime minister that journalists often asked "what the atmosphere of our relations was like."
"I am glad that the atmosphere is very good. The main thing is to ensure that businesses focus on business risk rather than political risk," the Latvian president switched over to business matters.
At the end of the meeting, Valdis Zatlers recalled a previous meeting in Helsinki: "Do you remember that we were talking about the KHL Continental Hockey League?" He presented Putin with Dynamo Riga hockey jersey No 7 with the prime minister's name on it. "A lucky number," Putin said. "Now you are your man on our team," Zatlers said laughing.
By Alexandra Beluza, Yulia Shestopyorova