for Russia to have a border agreement in order to pursue a less draconian visa policy from the EU. The Latvian Foreign Ministry has reiterated "that Latvia has no territorial claims to the Russian Federation", however, and though there is some opposition (particularly among right wing parties) to formally ceding the Abrene region, surveys show that most Latvians do not believe that the transferred territory will ever again be administered by Latvia. Many in Latvia – especially the former residents of the areas now in Russia – are interested in seeking compensation from the Russian Federation, though. Currently, the Republic of Latvia compensates those who lost property. The former residents also complain of the difficulty of visiting their family graves, asking that the Latvian and Russian governments facilitate border procedures. Despite Latvia's assurances that it makes no territorial claims, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed that Latvian wishes to get control of the area and that such claims are against the spirit of Europe. On 29 April 2005, Latvia announced that it would sign an interpretative declaration in conjunction with the proposed border agreement with Russia, noting that the border agreement would in no way affect "the legal rights of the Latvian state and its citizens" under the 1920 treaty. As a consequence, Russia scrapped the border agreement, as it saw this as attempt to prolong debate on Abrene. In January 2007, the Latvian Parliament agreed to sign the treaty, making no open references to the 1920 treaty. By the end of 2007, the border treaty was ratified by both parties. See also Territorial changes of the Baltic states Masļenki border incident References Arnolds Spekke: Balts and Slavs: Their Early Relations. Washington, D.C.: Alpha Printing Co., 1965. Arveds Švābe, ed.: Latvju enciklopēdija. Stockholm: Trīs Zvaigznes, 1952–1953. Kārlis Stalšāns: Krievu ekspansija un rusifikācija Baltijā laikmetu tecējumā. Chicago: Jāņa Šķirmanta Apgāds, 1966. Kārlis Stalšāns: Latviešu un lietuviešu austrumu apgabalu likteņi. Chicago: Jāņa Šķirmanta apgāds, 1958. Albert N. Tarulis: Soviet Policy Toward the Baltic States 1918–1940. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 1959. Dietrich A. Loeber, “The Russian-Latvian Territorial Dispute Over Abrene” in The Parker School Journal of East European Law (1995, Vol. 2, pp. 537–559). (Available in German in Acta Baltica [1996, Vol. 34, pp. 9–28], and in Latvian as "Krievijas un Latvijas teritoriālais strīds Abrenes jautājumā.") Retrieved 3. XII. 2005. Edgars Andersons: Latvijas vēsture 1914–1920. Stockholm: Daugava, 1967. Edgars Andersons: