The official reception ceremony in honour of the President of the Republic of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and Mr. Imants Freibergs took place in front of the Kadriorg Palace today morning. The honorary company had been lined up in front of the Presidential Palace and Lieutenant Rene Brus reported to the head of state of Latvia that the honorary company was lined up. The national anthems of Latvia and Estonia were played and the presidents inspected the guard. The President of Estonia introduced the board of Riigikogu and members of the Government of Estonia to the presidential couple and the Ambassador of Latvia to Estonia Gints Jegermanis introduced the Latvian delegation to the President of Estonia.

The President of the Republic conferred the Chain of the Cross of Terra Mariana on the President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and the 1st class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana on her husband Mr. Imants Freibergs. The President of the Republic presented the Latvian presidential couple with the silk painting ''Estonian Forest'' by Sirje Raudsepp and the English version of ''Kalevipoeg'' in leather binding.

In their meeting, the two presidents discussed the relationships of the two states and Baltic co-operation, the need to strenghten our cultural contacts and also the role of small states in Europe and the rest of the world. The President of the Republic also spoke about the role that small states have in the development of Europe.

The President of Latvia admitted that in the modern world, the IT and technical resources are much more important than the size of a state.

From Kadriorg, the presidents went to Reaalkool (Secondary Scientific School) in order to place a wreathe on the memorial to the schoolchildren and teachers who fought in the War of Independence.






Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, May 2, 2000

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