Previous versions discriminated against ethnic Russians.
Published:
16 December 1999 y., Thursday
The United States welcomed Latvia_s new language law on Tuesday and urged the government to follow through by observing its international obligations. Parliament approved an amended version of the controversial bill on December 9 after protests from Moscow and EU about an earlier draft. "The United States believes this law will promote and preserve the Latvian language, while respecting the privacy of Latvia_s private commercial activities and the private lives of all of Latvia_s residents," U.S. State Department said in a statement released by the embassy in Riga.
The law, which comes into force next September, boosts the use of Latvian language, which politicians say needs protection after it was marginalised by Russian during 50 years of Soviet rule.
Moscow has criticized the legislation saying it discriminates against 650,000 Russian speakers.
The U.S. statement recalled that social integration of non-Latvian speakers is a key goal of the U.S.-Baltic Charter of Partnership.
Šaltinis:
MSNBC
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus sent congratulations to the President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Kaarina Halonen on Finland's national holiday, the Independence Day.
more »
President Adamkus said that the memory of such an eminent archpastor has far transcended the boundaries of the Russian Orthodox Church.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus congratulated His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and all Thai people on their national holiday, the National Day.
more »
Acting Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas is going to attend the forthcoming international conference “Solidarity for the Future” scheduled to take place on 5-6 December 1988 in Gdansk (Poland).
more »
Acting pursuant to Art. 84(4) of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus has signed a decree to approve the composition of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
more »
Gediminas Kirkilas talked about energy security reinforcement projects in Lithuania, a new nuclear power station, power bridges to Sweden and Poland as well as projections for a LPG terminal.
more »
On 2 December, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Deividas Matulionis took part in an annual Summit of the Baltic Development Forum in Copenhagen.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus extended condolences on behalf of himself and all people of Lithuania to the President of the Republic of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil on violence and human victims in the Indian city of Mumbai.
more »
The Head of State congratulated J. Bertomeu and members of the Union of European Basketball Leagues (ULEB) on the start of the Eurocup championship in Vilnius.
more »
The Baltic Summit annually gathers the presidents of the three Baltic States.
more »