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RIGA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Latvian defense sector is very actively preparing for the arrival of the NATO multinational battalion at the beginning of the next year, as infrastructure projects are being developed, Defense Minister Raimonds Bergmanis said.
"Visits and consultations are ongoing. The commander of the Canadian armed forces will arrive in Latvia next week. Cooperation is very active at the moment, but there are still some complicated matters which must be dealt with. Our discussions are open and the Canadian side is very understanding," the minister told the BNS news agency on Wednesday.
He said that infrastructure at the Adazi military base and the Lielvarde air base are being constructed and modernized at at a fast pace -- barracks are being constructed, as well as warehouses and other infrastructure.
Asked whether Latvia will be able to complete these infrastructure projects by the spring, when the battalion is expected to arrive in Latvia, the minister replied that Latvia's allies are very understanding and are prepared to live in tents for a period until everything is complete.
The minister confirmed that the battalion will also include heavy weaponry.
He also said that the battalion will be made up of over 1,000 soldiers, adding that the total number of soldiers will be greater taking into account the deployment of U.S. troops already on the ground here.
Bergmanis hopes that Spain, Slovenia, Italy and Poland will be sending their soldiers to Latvia, as representatives from these countries had recently arrived in Latvia for consultations.
"It is also possible that other allied members will send their soldiers to be a part of this battalion," the minister emphasized.
The Latvian Defense Ministry previously stated that the specific countries which will be a part of the Canada-led battalion in Latvia will be known after a meeting of NATO defense ministers in October.
As reported, NATO leaders at the summit in Warsaw approved the deployment of four multinational battalions to the Baltic countries and Poland. Their deployment will begin next year and proceed on a rotational basis.
The battalion stationed in Poland will be led by the United States, while in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia the lead will be taken up by Canada, Germany and Britain respectively. Enditem
