VZCZCXRO0540
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHRA #0069 0411319
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101319Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY RIGA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6287
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS RIGA 000069
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR EUN KTIA LV
SUBJECT: LATVIA PASSIVE ON U.S.-EU AIR TRANSPORT NEGOTIATIONS
REF: STATE 09584
Latvia is supportive of a pragmatic approach to second-stage Air
Transport Agreement negotiations, but will not try to exert much
influence on the EU position. We delivered reftel points to Arnis
Muiznieks, Director of the Ministry of Transportation Aviation
Department. He said that Latvia hoped for an outcome "as liberal as
possible" regarding noise-related operation restrictions. However,
he noted that Latvia had no plan to take part in negotiations,
citing resource constraints and claiming that Latvia is not in a
good position to push against larger EU member states' positions at
this time.
GARBER