17 April, New York. “Widespread and gross human rights violations are being committed by the state almost on an industrial scale. In many instances, as stated by the Commission of Inquiry, the violations in North Korea constitute grave crimes against humanity”, - said Ms. Rita Kazragienė, Deputy Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations, during the Arria formula meeting of the Security Council on the Commission of Inquiry report on human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea).

On 17 April, the Lithuanian Ambassador to China and South Korea Lina Antanavičienė took part in the opening of Lithuania’s new Honorary Consulate in Daegu, South Korea’s 4th largest city. Dr. Kwang Bum Park, who actively fosters our bilateral relations, will be the new Honorary Consul of Lithuania in South Korea.

The fourth bilateral political consultations between the Lithuanian and Pakistani Foreign Ministries were held on 16-17 April in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. The consultations focused on cooperation and prospects for cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, scientific and consular fields, and within international organisations.

On 15 April in Paris, the Political Director of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry Dalius Čekuolis met with the Political Director of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jacques Audibert. The meeting focused on events in Ukraine, as well as relations with Russia in light of the Ukrainian crisis.

“Lithuania is deeply concerned with the sharp deterioration of the situation in Eastern Ukraine. External forces and provocateurs continue to fuel separatism and hatred, destabilizing the situation in the Eastern Ukraine,” the Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations, Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė stressed at the Security Council meeting on Ukraine on 13 April.