Baltic thaw: Russia & Latvia move closer

The Russian Foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, has said trade and economic links with Latvia keep increasing and that there are even more opportunities that the countries can explore. A new treaty on border regulation between the two countries comes into fo

The treaty will make co-operation between customs and border services more effective.

Lavrov also said that although Russia has suspended its membership of the CFE treaty, it will not increase its arms deployment in European Russia – something Latvia was concerned about.

He stressed that Russia is ready to continue the talks on the CFE treaty if its NATO partners will consider Russia's concerns.

Lavrov has also accused the U.S. and the EU of suggesting illegal solutions to the problem of Kosovo's status.

He again said that talks between Serbia and its breakaway province should continue.

“The work carried out by the Troika of mediators of Russia, the EU and the US, has proved that direct talks between Belgrade and Pristina are not without hope. The Serbian side has been making its position on the issue more flexible. If Pristina's authorities were not forbidden to hold talks on a compromise, if they were not told every day not to agree to anything but independence, I'm sure a decision would have been made,” Sergey Lavrov explained.