Imants Viesturs Lieģis (born 30 April 1955) is a Latvian diplomat and politician. Since 2016, he has served as Latvia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to France,[1] as well as non-resident ambassador to Algeria, Morocco and Monaco.

Imants Lieģis
Minister of Defence
In office
12 March 2009 – 3 November 2010
Prime MinisterValdis Dombrovskis
Preceded byVinets Veldre
Succeeded byArtis Pabriks
Personal details
Born (1955-04-30) 30 April 1955 (age 69)
Meriden, England, UK
Political partyThe Progressives;[citation needed] previously Civic Union
EducationNewcastle University

He served as Latvia's defence minister from 2009 to 2010.[2] Lieģis was appointed to the defence ministry post in March 2009, as part of the new six-party coalition government headed by Valdis Dombrovskis.[3] In 2010, he joined the Civic Union party and was elected to the Parliament, he was Chairman of the European Affairs Committee and Chairman of Delegation to the NATO PA until October 2011.[citation needed]

He is a board member of the European Leadership Network.[4]

A career diplomat, Lieģis served previously as Latvia's ambassador to NATO,[5] a post to which he was appointed in 1997 while also serving as ambassador to the Benelux countries.[6] Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain from September 2008 to March 2009. Ambassador to Hungary from 2012 to 2016.[7]

He was born in the United Kingdom. Trained in law, Lieģis worked as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of England and Wales from 1979 to 1991.[citation needed]

He is a Senior Network Member at the European Leadership Network (ELN).[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Vēstnieks".
  2. ^ "Dombrovska valdība gatava" (in Latvian). Diena. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Timeline: Latvia". BBC News. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  4. ^ "Home". europeanleadershipnetwork.org.
  5. ^ "NATO crisis prompts candidates' jitters". BBC News. 13 February 2003. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  6. ^ "Latvia to replace ambassadors to several countries". BNS News Agency. 14 June 2000. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  7. ^ "Latvijas Valsts prezidenta mājas lapa". www.president.lv. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
  8. ^ "Senior Network". www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org. Retrieved 2020-09-21.