Latvia–United States relations
Encyclopedia
Latvia – United States relations are bilateral relations between Latvia
and the United States
.
was officially established on November 13, 1922 and served as the headquarters for U.S. representation in the Baltics during the interwar era. The Soviet invasion forced the closure of the legation on September 5, 1940, but Latvian representation in the United States has continued uninterrupted for 85 years. The United States never recognized the forcible incorporation of Latvia into the U.S.S.R. and views the present Government of Latvia as a legal continuation of the interwar republic.
Latvia and the United States have signed treaties on investment
, trade, intellectual property protection, extradition
, mutual legal assistance, and avoidance of double taxation
. Latvia has enjoyed most-favored-nation treatment with the United States since December 1991.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials include:
The U.S. Embassy in Latvia is located in Riga.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The United States established diplomatic relations with Latvia on July 28, 1922. The U.S. Legation in RigaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
was officially established on November 13, 1922 and served as the headquarters for U.S. representation in the Baltics during the interwar era. The Soviet invasion forced the closure of the legation on September 5, 1940, but Latvian representation in the United States has continued uninterrupted for 85 years. The United States never recognized the forcible incorporation of Latvia into the U.S.S.R. and views the present Government of Latvia as a legal continuation of the interwar republic.
Latvia and the United States have signed treaties on investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
, trade, intellectual property protection, extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
, mutual legal assistance, and avoidance of double taxation
Double taxation
Double taxation is the systematic imposition of two or more taxes on the same income , asset , or financial transaction . It refers to taxation by two or more countries of the same income, asset or transaction, for example income paid by an entity of one country to a resident of a different country...
. Latvia has enjoyed most-favored-nation treatment with the United States since December 1991.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials include:
- AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
Judith (Judy) G. Garber - Deputy Chief of Mission Caryn McClelland
- Political/Economic OfficerBrian Phipps
- Management OfficerMark Moody
- Consular OfficerTim Buckley
- Public Affairs OfficerAmy Storrow
- Defense AttacheLt. Col. Chris Sill
The U.S. Embassy in Latvia is located in Riga.
See also
- Foreign relations of the United StatesForeign relations of the United StatesThe United States has formal diplomatic relations with most nations. The United States federal statutes relating to foreign relations can be found in Title 22 of the United States Code.-Pacific:-Americas:-Caribbean:...
- Foreign relations of LatviaForeign relations of LatviaToday's Republic of Latvia regards itself as a continuation of the 1918-1940 republic.After the declaration on the restoration of its full independence on August 21, 1991, Latvia became a member of the United Nations on September 17, 1991, and is a signatory to a number of UN organizations and...
- United States Ambassador to LatviaUnited States Ambassador to LatviaThe United States first established diplomatic relations with the Baltic states in 1922. One ambassador, resident in Riga, Latvia, was appointed to all three nations. Relations with the three nations were broken after the Soviet invasion of the republics in 1940 at the beginning of World War II...