As delivered by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Christopher Midura
to the Permanent Council, Vienna
October 11, 2012
We welcome the return of Lieutenant Colonel Napiontek to the Permanent Council and thank him for his report.
The United States considers good relations between neighbors an important indication of the successful realization of our shared principle of cooperative and indivisible security. Lieutenant Colonel Napiontek’s report shows that Latvia and the Russian Federation are continuing their cooperation, but certain obstacles remain.
We urge both parties to continue their productive collaboration on the issue of military pensioners, to enhance their efforts to resolve their disagreement on the subjects of the 1994 agreement, and to update the agreement on medical care expenses.
While the OSCE will remain supportive of the Joint Commission’s onward efforts, we would like the two parties to eventually reach a point where active OSCE engagement is no longer needed.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
