On December 1, 2007 former President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga celebrated her 70th birthday. She received the following telegram from President George W. Bush: DEAR PRESIDENT VIKE-FREIBERGA: CONGRATULATIONS AND MY WARMEST WISHES ON YOUR 70TH BIRTHDAY. YOUR LIFE HAS ENCOMPASSED, SYMBOLIZED, AND INFLUENCED SO MUCH BALTIC AND WORLD HISTORY. ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE CONCLUDED YOUR SERVICE AS PRESIDENT OF LATVIA, WE WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE WORLD STAGE AND TO YOUR CONTINUED COUNSEL AND FRIENDSHIP. SINCERELY, GEORGE W. BUSH