Other events in Baltic States

By the November 18 the President Valdis Zatlers had received 32 greetings to Latvia and its residents from several heads of state and organizations on the occasion of the Latvian Independence Day.

The president's press service informed LETA that a greeting letter has been received also from the President of the United States Barack Obama. In his letter to Zatlers, Obama says that he and the American nation highly value the friendly relations with Latvia, which are based on common democratic values and love for freedom. The U.S. president affirms in the greeting letter high esteem to cooperation with Latvia within the framework of NATO and to Latvia's support to the international mission in Afghanistan.

Barack Obama also expresses support to Latvia's residents at the economically tough times, when a lot of work is being done to build a promising future for the Latvian country.

The President of Germany Horst Köhler in his turn greets the Latvian nation and expresses appreciation of the close relations between Latvia and Germany and of the active exchange of visits between the two countries.

President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev wishes success and prosperity to the people of Latvia in his letter and expresses hope that the relations between Latvia and Russia will develop on the basis of mutual trust, respect and good neighbor relations.

Greetings on the Latvian Independence Day have been received also from the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Governor-General of Australia Quentin Bryce, President of Austria Heinz Fischer, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the King of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Greece Karolos Papoulias, President of Croatia Stjepan Mesic, President of India Pratibha Patil, and President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano.

Good wishes to Latvia and its people on the anniversary of Latvia were received also from the President of Israel Shimon Peres, President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean, King Abdullah II of Jordan, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev, President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman, President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Mexico Felipe Calderon, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, King Abdullah and Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the Swiss Confederation Hans-Rudolf Merz, President of Turkey Abdullah Gül, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly

Berdimuhamedow, President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and the King of Sweden Carl Gustaf XVI.

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers has also received greeting letters from all the local governments of Latvia, from non-governmental organizations, universities, museums, publishing houses, state administration institutions, enterprises and private individuals.

The Republic of Latvia was first proclaimed independent on November 18, 1918.