On October 31, 2007 in Washington, DC Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. During the meeting Prime Minister Kalvitis emphasized: "We see the US as an ally in many foreign policy and security aspects, which is proved by the intense cooperation between our two countries.” Secretary Rice expressed support regarding the completion of the ratification process of the Latvia-Russia border treaty, and expressed hope that the next step – the exchange of the documents of ratification – will be just as successful. The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude regarding support for the signing of the treaty and its ratification, and emphasized that regarding issues on the Latvia-Russia border treaty, Latvia and the US have identical views on such questions as national independence, succession, and 85 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations between Latvia and the US. The Prime Minister gave an overview of Latvia's foreign policy priorities, emphasizing the neighborhood policy in the Black Sea region, the Caucasus and Central Asia. He also expressed his appreciation of the dynamic relations between both countries, which can be seen in the intensity of visits between Latvian and US officials. The Prime Minister also addressed the issue of a visa-free regime, calling for more talks on joining the US visa-free program with all European Union (EU) member states who meet the criteria.