RIGA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves hailed on Thursday neighboring Latvia's adoption of euro, saying it would promote cross-border cooperation.

　　The euro adoption will boost the development of the border towns of Latvia and Estonia, as residents living near there can go frequently to each other's countries to make purchases, said Ilves.

　　He made the remarks when meeting with his Latvian counterpart Andris Berzins in the Latvian border town of Rujiena to congratulate the event.

　　Latvia joined the eurozone on Wednesday as its 18th member, becoming the second Baltic Sea country to adopt the euro after Estonia, which joined in 2011.

　　Ilves praised Latvia for its decision to join the eurozone, saying that it will contribute to production and export.

　　Berzins expressed his gratitude to Estonia for its support and sharing of the valuable experience during the course of Latvia's eurozone entry.

　　He said that by far there were no serious flaws in the transition to the euro, thanks mainly to the Estonian experience.

　　Berzins presented his Estonian counterpart with a set of Latvian euro coins while Ilves presented Berzins with Estonia's first euro anniversary coins.

　　After the meeting, the two presidents headed to a local shop to buy "Rujiena" ice creams with euro coins.

　　Upon the European Union's approval of Latvia's eurozone membership in July 2013, Ilves said he would come to Rujiena to buy an ice cream to express his congratulations when Latvia joined the European currency bloc.