Behind closed doors, Latvian officials also say they are being railroaded.

Latvian officials say it is difficult to calculate how many telephones the country will have when the project is finished.

Latvian officials said today that they would offer tax breaks to attract foreign investment in tourism and other important industries.

It took Latvian officials over a year to acquire the necessary technical materials from France, at the cost of an additional €580,000.

Riga's population is 916,000, and Latvian officials estimated the number of "black berets" at 80 to 100.

On the surface, Latvian officials say, the problem is one of political arithmetic at a time of political and economic uncertainty.

Usakovs' outburst is not the first by a senior Latvian official.

Latvian officials strongly defend the laws on citizenship and language.

No Latvian officials were present at the November 29 Ritterhaus meeting.

But several Latvian officials expressed reservations about signing the final agreement with the Houston investors.