VZCZCXRO2273
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHRA #0045 0220850
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 220850Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY RIGA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5569
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN/MTR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019 
TAGS: PARM KSCA PREL MNUC ETTC TSPA LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA SEEKS MEMBERSHIP IN MTCR 
 
REF: STATE 4690 
 
Classified By: CHARGE BRUCE ROGERS FOR REASON 1.4 (D)

1.(C) Poleconoff delivered reftel demarche to Ieva Jirgensone, acting head of the MFA's Arms Proliferation Division. Jirgensone thanked us for the report and mentioned that this was the only route that they received this information. She stated that Latvia very much wants to become a member of the MTCR. She has heard that Russia is lobbying for Kazakhstan's acceptance into the Australia Group, and that there has been talk about a trade - EU support for Kazakhstan in return for Russian support for remaining EU countries joining the MTCR.

2.(C) Jirgensone stated that Latvia's export control is excellent, and that the heaviest burden falls to customs, which carefully reviews every case. She stated that Latvia's missile technology expertise is not high, but all necessary legislation is in place, and noted that this knowledge gap is why information exchange is important. ROGERS