Former Ambassador Jānis Eichmanis has passed away

Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed his deepest condolences to the relatives of the former ambassador to Greece, NATO and Spain on the microblogging site “Twitter” upon his death.

“Jānis was a high-level, benevolent and responsive professional colleague who made a great contribution to the establishment and development of our diplomatic service,” the minister said.

Deepest condolences to the relatives of Jānis Eichmans, former ambassador to Greece, NATO and Spain, on his passing. Jānis was a high-level, benevolent and responsive professional colleague who made a great contribution to the creation and development of our diplomatic service

— Edgars Rinkevichs (@edgarsrinkevichs) December 24, 2022

Eichmanis began working in the Foreign Service in 1993 as director of the US Department. The ambassador served as the president’s foreign affairs adviser and was deputy head of the Latvian embassy to the United States.

From 2004 to 2007, Eichmanis served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Greece, and also assumed the duties of non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The cadence of Ambassador to NATO from 2006 to 2011 was significant and full of challenges. From 2011 to 2015, however, Eichmanis served as ambassador to Spain, and was also non-resident ambassador to Andorra.

Eichmanis continued to pass on his experience to the new generation of diplomats, working in the Qualification Commission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For his merits and his contribution to the integration of Latvia into the European Union and NATO, Eichmanis has received several important awards: the Order of Viestura II class and the Cross of Merit II class.

Eichman on Wednesday received an award for a lifetime contribution to Latvia’s foreign policy.