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
Viktor Yushchenko was sworn in as the third president of post-Soviet Ukraine Sunday, capping months of political turmoil that saw the nation turn away from traditional Russian influence toward the West
more »
Belarussian diplomat expelled from Czech Republic
more »
Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to renounce a notorious 1939 pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union that divided up much of eastern Europe between the two powers, Estonia's president said Thursday
more »
President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga has decided to attend a May 9 summit and celebration in Moscow marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II
more »
Ukraine's Supreme Court rejected a final appeal by the losing candidate in the country's disputed presidential poll, confirming Viktor Yushchenko as the winner
more »
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili dismissed the 12 January Abkhaz presidential ballot as illegal given that many Georgians and other former residents of Abkhazia now living in exile were unable to participate
more »
President Stipe Mesic, who is credited for moving this ex-Yugoslav country closer to the West, overwhelmingly won a second term Sunday
more »
Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu on 17 January will go to Budapest on the first official visit abroad undertaken by the Romanian head of government after taking office
more »
Voting in the Iraqi elections on January 30 is taking place not only there, but also in 14 other countries, including the US
more »
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he and his Polish counterpart, Marek Belka, agreed Friday to continue supporting Iraq's reconstruction and promoting U.N. reform
more »