Cablegate: Latvia and Eufor in Bosnia: No Official Position But

VZCZCXRO3677
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHRA #0562 3240844
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200844Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY RIGA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6152
INFO RUCNMUC/EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS RIGA 000562

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EU BK LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA AND EUFOR IN BOSNIA: NO OFFICIAL POSITION BUT
LIKELY TO SUPPORT USG POSITION

REF: SECSTATE 118244

Pol/Econ Off delivered reftel demarche to Indulis Abelis, the
director of the Latvian MFA's European Department. Mr. Abelis said
that although he believed Latvia would support continuing EUFOR's
mission in Bosnia at its current force level, he was unable to
provide the official Latvian position at that time. He also noted
that Latvia withdrew its last two soldiers from Bosnia in October
2009. Note: Lativa will likely continue to join EU consensus on
EUFOR, as its troop withdrawal removed its stake in this issue.
Lativa's contribution of 175 troops to Afghanistan requires the full
attention of the Defense Ministry, hard-pressed by the budget cuts
caused by the severe Latvian economic crisis.

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