Energy, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, USA

At the meeting of Robin Dunnigan and Eduards Stiprais. Riga, 5.02.2015. Photo: flickr.com

During a meeting yesterday between Dunnigan and Latvian Foreign Ministry Political Director Eduards Stiprais, the two sides discussed matters related to energy security, as well as the development of infrastructure projects in the Baltics and Europe.

As LETA was informed by the Foreign Ministry, the Latvian and U.S. officials were in agreement that energy is an important foreign policy component, and that there is potential for close cooperation between the two countries in the area of energy.

Dunnigan expressed support towards Latvia's efforts to liberalize its energy market and implement the Third package of the EU Energy Directive, and emphasized the importance to the diversification of gas suppliers and energy connections with other countries in Europe, which is the basis for strengthening energy independence.

Meanwhile, Stiprais said that one of the main goals of the Latvian EU Presidency is the creation of a European energy union, and reminded that a meeting of EU energy ministers will take place in Riga on February 6, which is the next step in this process.