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| Israel and Latvia inaugurate direct flights
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JERUSALEM (EJP) --- A new direct air link has been opened between Israel and Latvia, in what is being seen as a demonstration of friendship between the two countries.
The first flight was on June 5th and took just over four hours, costing 200 euros for a one way ticket.
The change will ease the travel of many Latvian Jews who now live in Israel and regularly visit family and friends in their former homeland.
Warming relations
Although the relationship between Latvia and Israel has in the past been a little strained, Israel's President Moshe Katzav recently visited the Eastern European nation and the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga in turn held a state visit to Israel in February. The new air travel arrangement was one of the main issues the two discussed.
According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the plan was initiated by Israel's Ambassador to Sweden, Eviatar Manor. Manor asked the Scandinavian airline, SAS, to renew its flights to Israel from the Scandinavian nations and add some Baltic nations.
When Vike-Freiberga visited Israel, Bertolt Flick, the general manager of Air Baltic, a subsidiary of SAS, accompanied the President. During the visit, Flick held meetings with the Foreign Ministry and Tourism Ministry as well as the Israel Airports Authority.
Historic celebration
To commemorate the opening of the new flights, Latvian Ambassador to Israel Karlis Eihenbaums invited Ambassadors from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries as well as Israeli businessman who conduct business in those countries to a celebration at the Latvian Embassy. Eihenbaums referred to the direct flights as "an historic moment."
Eihenbaums took the opportunity to invite Israelis to discover Riga, which he termed the metropolis of the Baltics.
Israeli-Latvian relations have undergone a renaissance of late with a greater understanding of Israel's diplomatic policy felt in Riga. While visiting Israel Vike-Freiberga spoke of the right of every nation to be respected and confirmed Latvia's commitment to stand by Israel.
Vike-Freiberga also apologized for Latvian acts committed during the Holocaust. "We are deeply sorry about the participation of Latvia in the atrocities of the Holocaust," he said in a speech at the official residence of the Israeli President.
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