Russia-Georgia conflict to be Discussed at International Riga Conference

Riga Conference organized by LATO will be opened today, 31 October and lasts till 2 November in the Melngalvju Nams (Blackheads House), the Riga Conference Europe Whole and Free: 90 years in the making will take place. On the eve of the 90th anniversary of Latvia's independence, Riga will gather heads of states, the world's leading academicians, politicians, representatives from non-governmental organizations, commentators and journalists to review significant challenges to the European and Transatlantic community in the 21st century. In their discussions the participants will attempt to estimate the impact of the Western democracy model in the world, analyze the roots and consequences of the Russia-Georgia conflict, look into decisions by which NATO is going to mark its 60th anniversary, into the options for future relations of the West with Russia, the prospects for the European Union in 2009 and into the future as envisioned by the European democracies.
President Valdis Zatlers of Latvia, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia, President Victor Yushchenko of Ukraine, President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Alexandr Vondra, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maris Riekstins, the Minister for Defence of Latvia, Vinets Veldre, the State Minister of Georgia for Re-integration, Temuri Yakobashivili, former President of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Boris Nemtsov, the Director of Policy Planning in the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General, Jamie Shea and other prominent figures are expected to take part in the conference.
The Conference is being organized by the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation (LATO), the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia and the Commission of Strategic Analysis under the auspices of the President of Latvia. The conference is supported by the Soros Foundation Latvia, the Riga City Council and the International Consulting Company Oxford Analytica.
The Riga Conference 2008 is already the third such high level international conference on the issues of security and foreign policy of the European and international community, thus highlighting Latvia on the world map as a venue for meetings between international foreign policy experts and diplomats.