RIGA, August 28, 2025 (WAFA) –  Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, handed over a letter from President Mahmoud Abbas to his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkēvičs, at the presidential residence in Jurmala city.

The minister conveyed the Palestinian leadership’s greetings and gratitude for Latvia’s steadfast support of the Palestinian people, emphasizing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the facilitation of humanitarian aid, and the mobilization of international efforts to pressure the occupation to adhere to international law.

Shahin also underscored the importance of supporting the two-state solution as the path to achieving a just and lasting peace in the region, urging President Rinkēvičs to collaborate with his government and the European Union to consolidate these efforts on the international level.

In response, Minister Rinkēvičs conveyed his greetings and appreciation to President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing Latvia’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and its continued commitment to providing both humanitarian and political support for Palestine.

He further condemned the Israeli government’s decision to escalate its aggression in the Gaza Strip.

The Latvian president emphasized the importance of strengthening political dialogue between the two countries to enhance bilateral relations, alongside expanding areas of joint economic cooperation to benefit both peoples and deepen ties.

In a separate meeting with her Latvian counterpart, Baiba Braže, Shahin emphasized the importance of Latvia’s recognition of the State of Palestine, asserting that such a move would be a meaningful contribution to achieving security and stability in the region, consistent with European values of justice and human rights.

She urged her Latvian counterpart to engage with the European Union in taking concrete measures to halt the aggression against the Palestinian people.

The two ministers discussed the necessity of reaching an immediate ceasefire, facilitating the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza, and mobilizing international efforts to pressure the occupation to seriously engage in a political process leading to a two-state solution, as the just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian cause.

T.R.