Remarks

Moderator: In recognition of special service to the State of Latvia, and notable contribution to the strengthening of Latvia’s national security and defence, Chapter of Orders has decided to award the Order of Three Stars and the title of the Commander of the Cross of the Order of the Three Stars upon his Excellency Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.

President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs: Secretary General, thank you very much for your service and congratulations.

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg: Thank you so much.

President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs: Dear Secretary General, it is a great honour for me and the whole of the Republic of Latvia to bestow on you the highest award of the Republic of Latvia, the Three Stars Order.

Actually, I think that it’s hard to realise that it is already 10 years since you are Secretary General of NATO.  And those 10 years have been, I would say, very challenging, very dramatic. But we are truly grateful for you, for your personal contribution, to strengthen the security and defence of Latvia, to strengthen the Alliance. (inaudible) I would say also it’s great to see during those 10 years the Alliance has expanded. And I just want to thank you and your team, the whole Alliance, for your contribution to the security and defence of this region of Latvia, and also for the strengthening of the whole Alliance.

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg: Thank you so much Mr. President Edgars Rinkēvičs. It’s a great honour to meet you again, and a great honour to receive this Order, which I take as an expression of the relation to NATO that reflects the fact that NATO has adapted and changed. And we have strengthened our collective defence as a response to the fact that we live in a more dangerous world.

And it is really a privilege to serve as Secretary General of NATO, not least because it has been, and continues to be, a privilege to work with Allies, as Latvia. And also you, Mr. President, I worked with you also in a capacity as Foreign Minister for many years. And therefore, it is great to be back here today and to reconfirm the strong commitment of NATO to Latvia and to see once again how committed Latvia is to NATO.

President Edgars, thank you so much for your personal commitment to NATO, thank you for this Order. It is really a privilege to continue to work with you.