U.S. - Latvia Relations

History

The Treaty of Versailles at the end of the First World War brought peace to Europe and signaled the end of several empires. The principles behind President Wilson's Fourteen Points enabled a number of nations, including the Baltic states, to gain their long-sought independence. The United States of America recognized the Republic of Latvia de jure on July 28, 1922.

The first U.S. envoy to Latvia, Fredrick W. B. Coleman, presented his letter of credence to the President of Latvia, Jānis Čakste, on November 13, 1922. In his remarks on this occasion, the Latvian president praised the activities of the American Relief Organization and American non-governmental organizations in their support to his country between 1919 and 1922, saying, "Latvia is happy to welcome the first official democratic representative of the great and renowned American democracy; the democracy which was the first to lend a helping hand to the unfortunate inhabitants of Latvia, victims of the World War" (Government Journal, November 15, 1922).

Ambassador Coleman headed the American embassy in Riga from 1922 until 1932. His counterpart in Washington was Ludvigs Seja, who served first as Charge d'Affaires ad interim (1922-25) and then as envoy of Latvia to the United States (1925-27). The interwar period saw a consolidation of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and several bilateral agreements were signed. One of these was the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights between Latvia and the United States of America which still governs aspects of our relations to this day. Despite the Great Depression of 1929 and the considerable geographical distance, economic, trade and cultural relations flourished.

Coleman was succeeded as ambassador to Latvia by Robert P. Skinner (1932-1933), J. A. MacMurray (1933-36), Arthur B. Lane (1936-1938), and then John Cooper Wiley (1938-40). From 1930 to 1940 the American embassy was situated in a building near Riga's port at 22 Ausekla Street. In the summer of 1939, future U.S. president John F. Kennedy, then a student touring Europe, visited Riga and the U.S. embassy. Today, a plaque on the Ausekla street building commemorates its history.

In June, 1940 the Baltic States were occupied and annexed. The U.S. government reacted on July 23 with a statement by Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles condemning the annihilation of the political and territorial integrity of Latvia, as well as Estonia and Lithuania. In his statement, Welles said, "The people of the United States are opposed to predatory activities no matter whether they are carried out by the use of force or the threat of force. They are likewise opposed to any form of intervention on the part of one state, however powerful, in the domestic concerns of any other sovereign state, however weak. The United States will continue to stand by these principles because of the conviction of the American people that unless the doctrine in which these principles are inherent once again governs the relations between nations, the rule of reason, justice and law - in other words, the basis of civilization itself - cannot be preserved." In July, 2000 a resolution of the U.S. Congress reiterated and reinforced this statement once again.

The Statement of 23 July determined U.S. policy with regard to the Baltic states and ensured the preservation of diplomatic representations of those countries in the United States for the next fifty years. During the years of occupation, the Embassy of Latvia in Washington, D.C. enjoyed full diplomatic recognition. This unique situation provided opportunities to remind the world continually of the judicial existence of Latvia and to defend the interests of Latvia and its citizens.

After the restoration of Latvia's independence in August, 1991, the United States of America and the Republic of Latvia restored active diplomatic relations on September 5, 1991.

The current U.S. chancery at 7 Raina Boulevard was built in 1863 and served as Reimers Eye Clinic until the mid-1930's. It then became an office building. During the Soviet period it housed the Construction Affairs Committee and the Riga city architectural and construction control board. After a preliminary dedication ceremony on February 7, 1992 at which Vice President Dan Quayle presided, the building formally opened as the U.S. embassy on April 10, 1992.