Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš

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Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš
Kalniņš in 2010
Member of the Saeima
In office
2 November 2010 – 14 October 2021
2nd Ambassador of Latvia to the United States
In office
1993–1999
PrecedingAivis Ronis
Preceded byAnatols Dinbergs
Personal details
Born22 October 1949
Munich, Bavaria, West Germany
DiedOctober 14, 2021(2021-10-14) (aged 71)
Riga, Latvia
SpouseIrma Kalniņa

Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš (22 October 1949 – 14 October 2021) was a Latvian politician and diplomat who served as a member of the Saeima (2010–2021), head of the Latvian Institute (1999–2010), and as Ambassador to the United States (1993–1999).[1] Born in a displaced person's camp in Germany to parents escaping the Soviet occupation of Latvia,[2] he spent his early career working for various Latvian-American organizations before moving to Latvia and taking part in the restoration of Latvian independence. In 1998, he was awarded the Order of the Three Stars.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš was born on October 22, 1949, in a displaced persons camp in Munich, Germany.[2] His family moved to Chicago in 1951,[4] where he lived until 1985.[5] In 1975, he earned a bachelor's degree from the department of philosophy at Roosevelt University.[6][4] While living in Chicago, he worked as creative director for an advertising agency, served as editor and political adviser for the Chicago Latvian Newsletter,[6] and wrote comedy for WXRT radio.[5]

Restoration of Latvian independence[edit]

Kalniņš in 1988 as spokesman for the American Latvian Association

In 1985, Kalniņš moved to Washington DC[5] and began serving as the public information director of the American Latvian Association, a position he held until 1990.[2] In 1986, he led the US Latvian delegation to the Chautauqua Conference in Jūrmala, Latvia.[4] According to Kalniņš, he and other Latvian-American representatives considered leaving the five-day conference early due to threats by Soviet security officials.[7] From 1988 to 1990, he worked as a consultant for the Popular Front of Latvia and the Latvian National Independence Movement, and from 1990 to 1991 he was a contributor to the newspaper Diena.[2]

After the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR declared restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia in May 1990, Kalniņš began serving as an advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, helping to organize a meeting between Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis, Foreign Minister Jānis Jurkāns, and United States President George H.W. Bush in Washington, D.C. in July.[4] In January 1991 he was appointed press secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[2]

Diplomatic career[edit]

In September 1991, Kalniņš began work at the Embassy of Latvia in Washington DC, where he served as both the Ambassador’s authorised officer and as authorised officer of Latvia’s representative to the United Nations.[4]

In 1993, Kalniņš was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the U.S. and Mexico.[8] During his tenure as ambassador, he focused on the withdrawal of Russian military forces from former Soviet bases in Latvian territory, as well as the strengthening of US and Latvian relations.[2] In 1994, Kalniņš greeted Bill Clinton at Rīga airport when he became the first United States president to visit a Baltic country on his way to a G7 meeting in Italy.[5] In 1998, Clinton signed the US-Baltic Charter,[9] which paved the way for Latvia's admission into NATO in 2004.[10] Kalniņš called the signing of the charter, "a culmination of the last six years of the extraordinary U.S.-Baltic relationship since independence."[11]

Latvian Institute[edit]

After ending his tenure as Ambassador the United States in 1999, Kalniņs became the director of the Latvian Institute,[12] succeeding Vaira Viķe-Freiberga after she was elected President of Latvia.[13] According to Kalniņš, his goal was for the agency to become "an all-purpose ad agency for Latvia."[5] In a 2002 interview, Kalniņš explained that the institute's goal was not to create an image for Latvia, but to present elements of Latvian culture to a foreign audience in an understandable way.[14] In 2009, Kalniņš threatened to resign as director when the government planned to reorganize the institute and reduce its budget from 90,000 to 21,000 lats per year, saying that "an institute is not two people in a basement."[15]

Political career[edit]

Kalniņš in 2020 on a visit to US Congress by Latvian and Estonian parliamentarians

In 2010, Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš was elected to the 10th Saeima as a member of the Civic Union party.[16] After Civic Union merged with New Era Party and Society for Political Change to form the Unity party, Kalniņš became a member of Unity and was re-elected to the 11th[17] and 12th[18] Saeimas. He became a member of New Unity after Unity changed its name, and was elected to the 13th Saeima in October 2018.[19]

Personal life[edit]

Kalniņš married Irma Kalniņa in 1996.[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Veteran Latvian statesman and MP Ojars Eriks Kalnins passes away | News | LETA". www.leta.lv.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Mūžībā devies politiķis Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Aizgājis mūžībā politiķis un diplomāts Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš". delfi.lv (in Latvian). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e "In Memoriam. Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš | Ārlietu ministrija". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e Hageman, William (22 August 2004). "Chicagoan now touts Latvian life". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b Veidemane, Elita (16 October 2021). "In memoriam. Ojārs Kalniņš has passed away..." neatkariga.com. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  7. ^ Taubman, Philip (18 September 1986). "SOVIET WARNS 7 LATVIAN-AMERICANS AT FORUM". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Mūžībā devies deputāts Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš". www.santa.lv. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  9. ^ Erlanger, Steven (17 January 1998). "Clinton and 3 Baltic Leaders Sign Charter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  10. ^ Spruds, Andris; Potjomkina, Diana, eds. (2016). Latvia and the United States: Revisiting a Strategic Partnership in a Transforming Environment. Riga: Latvian Institute of International Affairs. ISBN 978-9984-583-70-9.
  11. ^ Erlanger, Steven (12 January 1998). "U.S. to Back Baltic Membership In NATO, but Not Anytime Soon". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Miris Saeimas deputāts Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš". BNN (in Latvian). 15 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  13. ^ Jānis, Ūdris (8 October 1999). "Latvijas institūts - ar Latvijas vārdu pasaulē… - Latvijas Vēstnesis". Latvijas vēstnesis (in Latvian). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  14. ^ Kalniņš, Ojārs (11 June 2002). "Ojārs Kalniņš: Latvijas institūts 'neveido' tēlu, bet ko dara Latvijas institūts?". delfi.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  15. ^ Lēvalde, Vēsma (19 October 2009). "O. Kalniņš: Divi cilvēki pagrabā nav institūts". Dienas Bizness (in Latvian). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  16. ^ "CVK apstiprina 10.Saeimas vēlēšanu rezultātus". nra.lv (in Latvian). 19 October 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Par 11.Saeimā ievēlētajiem deputātiem". LIKUMI.LV (in Latvian). 4 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  18. ^ "12.Saeimas vēlēšanas skaitļos - LV portāls". lvportals.lv (in Latvian). 22 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Nākamajā Saeimā strādās septiņu politisko spēku deputāti - LV portāls". lvportals.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  20. ^ Alksne, Aiva (15 October 2021). "Ojāra Kalniņa sieva Irma: Esmu saglabājusi katru viņa uzrakstīto rindiņu". www.santa.lv. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
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