20 November 2013 - Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Evan Garcia met with Latvian Foreign Minister (FM) Edgars Rinkēvičs at the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi held on November 11 and 12.

They took the opportunity to discuss the further strengthening of relations through bilateral and multilateral cooperation. In particular, both were pleased to note that the Philippines-Latvia Visa Waiver Agreement for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports are in its final stages of negotiations.

In the multilateral arena, both agreed to continue, as much as possible, mutual support for candidatures in the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral bodies. Undersecretary Garcia also invited Latvia to participate at the Philippine-hosted “ASEM Conference on Technology and Innovation for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change Adaptation” which will be held in Manila in September 2014.

Undersecretary Garcia extended an invitation for Foreign Minister Rinkēvičs to visit the Philippines. FM  Rinkēvičs promised to visit the country when he undertakes a visit to the region. END