Born in 1952. Riga. Master of Arts, Latvian Academy of Art, 1996. General Secretary;1987 – 1988; Latvian Artists' Union. General Secretary of the LPF Coordinating Council, Deputy Chairman; 1988 - 1990 Latvian Popular Front (LPF¬). Chief of Protocol, Deputy Foreign Minister; 1990 - 1993 Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador to the UN in Geneva; 1993 – 1997. Ambassador to France; 1997 – 2002. Ambassador to UNESCO; 2000 – 2002. Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs; November 7, 2002 – 9 March, 2004. European Commissioner; 1 May – 20 November 2004. Member of Latvian Parliament, October 2006. Member of Board, Robert Schuman Foundation. MEP since 2009.