OREANDA-NEWS. April 04, 2011. President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers was in Detroit, Michigan to launch his working visit to the United States. Hoping to encourage interest among American companies in Latvia’s market, the President met with high-ranking representatives of the DTE energy company, which is involved in the extraction and sale of shale oil and gas. He also met with top management at General Motors, which is one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world.

 At his meeting with DTE Energy president Jerry Norcia, President Zatlers learned about the company’s areas of operations. It is a pioneer in the extraction of shale oil and gas in the United States, and it has been actively involved in developing the relevant technologies. During their meeting, Mr Zatlers and Mr Norcia discussed ways of extracting shale oil, and the President invited DTE Energy to send experts to investigate opportunities to extract such oil in Latvia, as well. He said that initial tests have already been conducted, and DTE could evaluate the potential of further developing the process at the regional level.
 
At GM, President Zatlers was shown the company’s latest products and told about the company’s interests in Europe. The President spoke about Latvia’s economic advantages in terms of manufacturing and transit. He particularly pointed to its strategic location and the advantages of its port, rail and air transport infrastructure. Mr Zatlers also provided information about companies in Latvia which manufacture parts for Europe’s leading auto manufacturers.
 
Later the President attended the opening of an honorary consulate for Latvia in the state of Michigan. It will help to promote business contacts between Latvian and American businesses, and it is highly appreciated by members of the Latvian community in Detroit. At a meeting with members of the community, the President talked about the economic situation in Latvia and also explained his latest legislative initiatives – constitutional amendments to strike a better balance among the branches of government, as well as amendments to the law on citizenship. The President also answered questions about government stability, ways of strengthening the Latvian language, and methods related to economic development.