Latvian parliament advises gov't against signing UN migration pact

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RIGA, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- A resolution adopted by Latvian lawmakers on Thursday advises the Baltic country's government against signing the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, parliamentary spokespeople said.

The Latvian government said earlier it would base its decision regarding joining the UN migration pact on the parliament's opinion.

The resolution calling against signing the global migration agreement was adopted by 43 votes from the right-wing National Alliance, the Greens and Farmers Union, KPV LV and the New Conservative Party.

Opponents of the migration pact voiced concerns that even though legally non-binding, the pact might in time be recognized as a source of international law and restrict Latvia's rights to decide on its own migration policy.

The authors of the parliamentary resolution noted that the proposed migration pact has not been properly presented and explained to the public and urged to heed the dominating public opinion on migration in Latvia.

The 31 MPs voting against the rejection of the migration pact represented the center-right New Unity, the liberal alliance For Development/For and the leftist Harmony party. They argued that the pact represented no danger to Latvia's sovereign rights to develop its own migration policy and was only intended to promote international cooperation in tackling migration-related problems.

The UN expects the final agreement on the pact to be reached at a conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Dec. 10-11.

While countries like the Unites States, Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel and others have already rejected the pact and will not attend the UN conference, Latvia's neighbors Estonia and Lithuania are among the countries supporting the agreement. Enditem

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