Speaking in Rome after a meeting with US Trade Representative Michael Froman, Rinkevics said progress on the much-anticipated Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP) would be among Latvia's priorities when it helms the EU during the first six months of 2015.
Met US Trade Rep Michael Froman, discussed US-EU dialogue on TTIP, energy during Latvia's EU presidency pic.twitter.com/T9a1Bq0PvS
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) October 15, 2014
Latvia's senior diplomat stressed that the deal should be considered in the context of the question of energy security, taking into account plans by the United States to export energy to Europe and LNG terminal projects in the Baltic Sea region.
"Rinkēvičs pointed to the need to safeguard our citizens and parliamentarians by providing greater transparency and information about the content of the deal, as well as the negotiation process in order to avoid possible confusion about it," a statement from the Latvian Foreign Ministry said..
A deal would "facilitate mutual trade between EU member states and the United States. This will reduce existing tariff barriers [and] facilitate cooperation between entrepreneurs of both parties," the statement said.
