The Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Latvia, Christopher Robinson, signed the Latvian-US Agreement on Security Measures for the Protection of Classified Information.
The Treaty establishes common and detailed conditions for the processing and protection of classified information, which is essential for political, military and economic cooperation between the two countries. The exchange of classified information is of particular importance for full defence cooperation between the two countries - a common understanding of threats and the provision of military and technical support. Such a framework is also necessary to allow companies from both countries that have obtained an industrial security certificate to participate in classified procurement by the other country.
Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere says: "Today is an important moment in strengthening cooperation with our strategic partner the United States. This agreement will contribute to national security in an era when information is one of the most precious resources and Latvia faces threats of hybrid warfare from militarily aggressive countries such as Russia and Belarus. At a time when global challenges require greater cooperation and resilience, working together will strengthen our ability to work in a united and secure manner. The agreement reflects a commitment to protect common interests and build a stronger alliance with the US based on trust, transparency and a shared vision for a more secure future."
At its meeting on 13 August, the Cabinet of Ministers authorised the Minister of Justice to sign the agreement on behalf of Latvia. Latvia is represented in the negotiations on such an agreement by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which also organised the drafting of the agreement. The treaty took several years to draft, as it involves two countries with different legal and regulatory frameworks for both the protection of classified information and the procedures for drafting and ratifying international treaties. With the signature of this Treaty, the previous Treaty, which was concluded in 1998 and which no longer corresponded to the current circumstances and requirements, will cease to be valid.
The SAB is currently in the process of developing agreements with the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Belgium and Malta.