On September 26 Ambassador Maris Riekstins participated in a press conference organized by Congressman Dennis Kucinich on the most recent developments regarding the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Ambassadors from the Visegrad countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and the Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were invited to attend. At the press conference Congressman Kucinich expressed his support for the expansion of the visa waiver program to include these seven countries. He also announced that a group of Congressmen will be sending a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, asking for more active involvement regarding the VWP for the above-mentioned countries. Currently the VWP applies to 27 countries whose citizens do not require a visa to enter the U.S. Background In February 2005 the U.S. administration offered the countries of Central Europe and the Baltics a Visa Roadmap for the VWP. The Visa Roadmap provides an opportunity for experts to form working groups between the US Embassies and the respective foreign ministries to work together towards the goal of qualifying for the VWP. Such a working group was formed in Riga in March 2005 and meets on a regular basis. In addition, on September 21 in New York all seven Visegrad and Baltic foreign ministers agreed on a joint plan for attaining membership in the VWP. They agreed to form a coalition in Washington designed to maintain an active dialogue with the U.S. administration regarding the VWP.