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Aleksandre Chikaidze and Rihards Kozlovskis. Tbilisi, 27.11.2014. Photo: iem.gov.lv

Kozlovskis, who is accompanying Latvian President Andris Berzins on his official visit to Georgia, met with Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Chikaidze yesterday to discuss current affairs within the field of home affairs, as well as mutual cooperation, LETA was informed by the Interior Ministry.

''Taking into account the tense situation in Eastern Europe due to the crisis in eastern Ukraine, the security of our external borders has become an urgent priority not just on the national level, but also on the international level. Only by close cooperation can be effectively secure out outer borders,'' Kozlovskis pointed out.

During the meeting, the ministers also pointed out to the close cooperation between the two countries in matters related to border security. For the past five years, a Latvian Border Guard officers, specializing in communications, has been supporting the Georgian Border Guard in combating illegal migration.

''Georgia is an important partner in the field of home affairs not only to Latvia, but the whole EU. Latvia will preside over the EU in the first half of 2015, and I would like to once again emphasize that one of Latvia's strategic priorities will be the strengthening of relations between the EU and Eastern Partnership Initiative countries,'' Kozlovskis emphasized.

Also during the meeting, the two sides discussed the EU's current challenges in fighting organized crime and terrorism, as well as matters related to migration and judicial cooperation.