On 14 July, as part of his working visit to Washington, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the United States Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton. During the meeting, the parties exchanged opinions on the topics of the bilateral relations between Latvia and the United States of America, the co-operation within NATO, including international operations in Afghanistan, as well as the involvement of the Baltic states in the development of a new NATO security concept. Attention was devoted also to the financial and economic situation in Latvian and to the support from international institutions to the structural reforms and measures for economic recovery of in Latvia. The parties also exchanged opinions on the involvement of the international community in the political and economic processes in EU's eastern neighbour countries as well as co-operation with the Central Asian states, also in the energy sector. While speaking about NATO, both parties reviewed the role of NATO in facing the security policy challenges of today. With regard to this, the role of the new NATO security concept was highlighted as well as the involvement of the Baltic states in the process of its development. Minister Riekstins also reiterated Latvia's ongoing commitment to providing its civil and military contribution to the operation in Afghanistan. The U.S. side commended Latvia's involvement alongside with other allies in this international operation. "An excellent example is not only the participation in the operation in Afghanistan, but also the provision of an effective supply route for the U.S. military needs through the territory of Latvia," noted Minister Riekstins. Latvia's Foreign Minister also addressed the question about the international community support to the eastern neighbour countries of the European Union, emphasizing the increase of presence of international observers in Georgia, support to demographic reforms in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and in the South Caucasus countries. Mr Riekstiņš and Mrs Clinton both agreed on the necessity for an all-inclusive dialogue with the Central Asian countries. At the end of the discussion, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins invited the U.S. Secretary of State to visit Latvia in 2010 and to personally participate at the opening in Riga of the new U.S. Embassy building, which is currently under construction. This was the first bilateral meeting of Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after the new U.S. administration has started its work. Both ministers had met before informally during the meeting of NATO foreign ministers and the EU-USA summit.