Brussels, 28/06/2013 (Agence Europe) -The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, congratulated Latvia on Friday 28 June for meeting the convergence criteria for joining the eurozone on 1 January 2014 (see EUROPE 10860). Arriving at the European Summit, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said that Latvia was proof that reforms can overcome the crisis. (MB/transl.fl)