Latvia to send border guards to Afghanistan

Training border guards for participation in international missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan is a working priority for the State Border Guard Service. It is not yet known exactly what number of border guards Latvia will send to maintain peace in “hot spots”. According to Service chief Gunars Dabolins, participation in the operations will be voluntary. And some persons have already voiced their desire of going there. As Dabolins believes, local dog experts may render Afghani government assistance in combating drug business. At the same time, the experts’ activity in Afghanistan will be complicated by climatic conditions. President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers confirmed during his meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Wednesday that Latvia is ready to expand its peacemaking unit in Afghanistan.