RIGA, October 10 (RIA Novosti, Yuriy Guralnik) - Representatives of Latvia's First Party have proposed holding a national referendum on the border disagreement with Russia.

The head of the party said that if the government does not approve a referendum, it can still be held if sufficient signatures are gathered among the electorate.

Latvian parliamentarians said at a press conference Monday that the referendum would decide the question: "Should the government sign a border agreement with Russia, renouncing all claims to the Abrene region?"

Negotiations towards reaching a border agreement over the Pytalovo region, the Russian name of the disputed Abrene region, part of Latvia until the end of WWII, were halted in March after the Latvian Foreign Ministry made an amendment to the agreement. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the amendment would have allowed Latvia to make other territorial claims against Russia.