Relations with Russia are likely to be the focus when a generous sprinkling of former presidents, prime ministers and assorted other regional bigwigs descend on the Latvian capital of Riga this weekend for a NATO-sponsored conference. Topping the bill will be Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, on his first visit to the Baltic region since his country went to war with Russia in August.

Baltic and central European nations gave Saakashvili strong backing during that war and will be heavily represented at the conference. Saakashvili will appear with Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko during a November 1 debate titled "A vision of Europe, whole and free."

Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus was originally scheduled to attend, but opted to stay home as he is playing a vital role in forming a new government following recent elections.

Ilves, Adamkus and Yushchenko, along with Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis and Polish President Lech Kaczynski, went to Tbilisi in August in a show of solidarity with a fellow former communist state.

They also signed a declaration condemning what they called Russia's "military aggression."

Before the closing debate on Sunday, a range of other topics will be discussed in Riga's historic House of Blackheads including one provocatively titled: "Russia - no business as usual?"

The medieval House of Blackheads was itself demolished by the Red Army after the end of the Second World War and rebuilt in a highly symbolic act as soon as Latvia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

However, despite the preoccupation with Russia in debates on defence and "military threats emanating in the nearest neighbourhood" the most senior Russian attendee will be Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister of Russia and now chairman of the Russian Union of Oil Exporters.

URL: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/239446,preview-eastern-europes-leaders-to-debate-stance-on-russia.html