President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga: Latvia wishes to sign a border agreement with Russia to "legally align relations with its huge neighboring country"

Latvia wishes to sign a border agreement with Russia to "legally align relations with its huge neighboring country," President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga said during opening ceremonies at the new Aizgārša border crossing station near Karsāva. "The border is a place at which honest, industrious people move freely through to carry out mutually-advantageous transactions, to visit relatives or the resting-places of their kindred, and to travel to weddings, funerals or christenings," the president said. "The border is a division between two countries that should not be an obstacle or a barrier to honest people, but quite the opposite. A border crossing should provide for the civilized control of people and cargo flow according to worldwide-recognized standards," the president said. She added that disorder in border issues "was harmful to both countries."