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Press statement
Statement by OSCE/ODIHR Director Gérard Stoudmann
- Date:
- Place:
- WARSAW
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Fields of work:
- Democratization, Elections
WARSAW, 21 March 2002 - The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Gérard Stoudmann, has made the following statement in order to correct misinterpretations of his remarks concerning the state language of Latvia:
"The remarks I made yesterday should not be interpreted as a recommendation or an official position of the OSCE, or me questioning the status of Latvian as the only state language. Rather they should be seen as my personal reflection on the issue.
"I wish to stress that my intention never was to suggest that Russian be made the second state language in Latvia, or that this issue was on the agenda. I am fully aware of the sensitivities surrounding the issue in Latvia. They are understandable in view of the country's history, and for the same reason I also understand, as I stated yesterday, the wish to strengthen the Latvian language as the state language and promote its use by the whole population of Latvia."
"The remarks I made yesterday should not be interpreted as a recommendation or an official position of the OSCE, or me questioning the status of Latvian as the only state language. Rather they should be seen as my personal reflection on the issue.
"I wish to stress that my intention never was to suggest that Russian be made the second state language in Latvia, or that this issue was on the agenda. I am fully aware of the sensitivities surrounding the issue in Latvia. They are understandable in view of the country's history, and for the same reason I also understand, as I stated yesterday, the wish to strengthen the Latvian language as the state language and promote its use by the whole population of Latvia."
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