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Latvian-U.S. Agreement on Cooperation in Combating and prevention of aggravated felonies signed

U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Charles Larson, and Latvian Minister of Interior, Mareks Seglins signed the Latvian-U.S. agreement on cooperation in the combating and prevention of aggravated felonies.

The agreement was initialed on September 18 by the Latvian Ambassador to the United States Andrejs Pildegovics and Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy for the United States Department of Homeland Security and representative of the U.S. Department of Justice Kenneth Mortensen. The agreement will reciprocally enable law enforcement officers on both sides to more quickly and efficiently investigate crime and prevent the travel of criminals and terrorists,  It is an important precondition for Latvia's accession to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

In comments made at the ceremony, Ambassador Larson expressed appreciation for Latvian leadership in becoming “among the first Visa Waiver Program (VWP) aspirant countries to sign the Preventing and Combating Serious Crime Agreement” with the United States Government.

Photo Caption:  Ambassador Larson (left) and Minister Seglins (right) sign agreement on Cooperation in Combating and Prevention of Aggravated Felonies.
Photo Credit:  Ryan J. Roberts