U.S. President George W. Bush has accepted an invitation from President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga to visit Latvia from May 6-7, before both head to Moscow for a May 9 celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The visit, according to Vīķe-Freiberga’s press office, will coincide with the 15th anniversary of Latvia’s renewed declaration of indepedence. Latvia’s national legislature, then known as the Supreme Council, declared the republic’s independence from the Soviet Union on May 4, 1990, but true independence only came in August 1991.
As part of his visit, Bush is expected to participate in a U.S.-Baltic summit meeting with the presidents of all three Baltic countries.
During his May 6-10 visit to Europe, Bush also plans to visit the Netherlands and Georgia, according to the White House press office.
Bush would be the second U.S. president to visit Latvia. Former President Bill Clinton visited Latvia in July 1994.
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If the president didn’t go to Moscow Bush wouldn’t have gone to Latvia. Which sends the biggest messge to Putin;her refusal to go or Bush coming to Latvia with a delagtion of 700 people to tell Putin “we are watching you, keep your hands off.” I vote for the latter.
Janis Freivalds