Austria and Latvia are closing ranks during the EU Presidency of Cyprus

Vienna, 21 May 2012 - Austria and Latvia are to work together closely during the EU Presidency of Cyprus (1 July - 31 December 2012). The Secretary General at the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Johannes Kyrle, and the Latvian State Secretary Andris Teikmanis signed a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect on 18 May 2012 in Limassol, Cyprus. The Memorandum was signed against the background of the current efforts of the Austrian Foreign Ministry to achieve both a better utilisation of resources and more exchange at the level of foreign policy by stepping up cooperation with EU and/or Schengen countries in real estate matters. The agreement will involve a Latvian diplomat working at the Austrian Embassy in Nicosia (Cyprus) during the EU Presidency of Cyprus. It is important for Latvia to be able to observe how an EU member such as Cyprus manages the Presidency. Latvia will take over the EU Presidency at the beginning of 2015.

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