Māris Riekstiņš (born 8 April 1963, Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian politician and diplomat with an extensive experience in the foreign service, former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Latvia (November 2007 – April 2010). He is currently the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Latvia to NATO in Brussels, Belgium.
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Maris Riekstins’ career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia began in 1992 as a Desk Officer of the Political Department of the Europe Division, which was soon followed by the position of the Director of the Western Europe Division. In 1993, he became the Under-secretary of State, soon assuming the duties of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He remained in that position until his posting as the Ambassador of Latvia to the United States in 2004, and additionally non-resident Ambassador to Mexico. For most of 2007 Mr Riekstins was Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Latvia. In November 2007 Mr Riekstins was elected to the post of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and held this position until April 2010, when his party stepped out of the government. In February, 2011 Ambassador Riekstins commenced his duties as the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Latvia to NATO in Brussels.
In his career Mr Riekstins has also been Head of the Latvian Delegation for Accession into NATO, Chairman of the Advisory Council for Latvia’s membership into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Head of Delegation of Latvia in WTO talks in Seattle (1999), Doha (2000) and Cancun (2003). He has led the delegation for the U.S.-Baltic Partnership Charter and also been the Head of Latvian delegation for Estonian-Latvian sea border delimitation (agreement concluded in 1997 and ratified), as well as Lithuanian-Latvian sea border delimitation (agreement concluded in 1999, not ratified as of yet).
Mr Riekstins has a law degree from the University of Latvia, preceded by graduation of the Faculty of Pedagogy of the Latvian Sports Institute. He is married and has two children.
In 2006 Maris Riekstins joined the People’s Party (Tautas Partija) of Latvia, member of the European People’s Party (EPP) group. He has been its board member and presidential candidate for the 2007 Presidential elections in Latvia, followed by election as the Foreign Minister in November 2007. He held this position in three coalition governments under the leadership of Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis (People’s Party), Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis (LPP/LC) and Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (New Era/Jaunais laiks). In the run up to the 10th Saeima (Latvian parliament) elections in October 2010 Mr Riekstins was a high-ranking candidate for the parliament member post and the foreign policy coordinator of the Political Alliance “For A Good Latvia”, of which the People’s Party was an integral part of.
| 2008 | Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Malta |
| 2008 | Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the Republic of Ukraine |
| 2007 | Cross of Recognition of the Republic of Latvia, Grand Officer |
| 2004 | National Order of Merit of Malta |
| 2004 | Order of Merit of the Italian Republic "Grand Official" |
| 2003 | Three Star Order of Latvia, Commander |
| 2003 | Ordem do Infante D. Henrique Grande Oficial, Portugal |
| 2003 | 3rd Class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana of Estonia |
| 2001 | Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, 4th class |
| 2001 | French National Order of Merit, Grand Officer |
| 2000 | Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Grand Officer |
| 1998 | Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Commander |
Mr Riekstins is a native Latvian-speaker with proficiency in English, Russian and German.