The Munich Security Conference on 1-3 February highlighted the importance of the EU-U.S. cooperation in addressing important international security issues. Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius, who attended the conference, held meetings with Foreign Ministers of Russia, Afghanistan and Rwanda.

The 49th Munich Security Conference was the largest annual forum in Europe, during which politicians, diplomats and security experts discussed the Eurozone crisis and prospects for overcoming it, the future of the transatlantic security community, the security of the Balkans and the Caucasus, armed conflicts in Mali and Syria, and Iran’s nuclear programme. At the event, Vice President of the United States Joe Biden presented the new foreign policy framework of the U.S. administration and noted that the cooperation between the U.S. and Europe was natural and inevitable.

In Munich, Linkevičius also participated in the working breakfast of the European Leadership Network (ELN) to discuss nuclear non-proliferation. The meeting was also attended by the host of the Munich Security Conference, former German Deputy Foreign Minister Wolfgang Ischinger, former Polish Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld, former Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and former British Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

Linkevičius met with Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Zalmai Rassoul, who also attended the conference in Munich, and discussed with him NATO plans for Afghanistan after 2014. Linkevičius stressed Lithuania’s commitments in Afghanistan and confirmed that Lithuania would continue to support this country.

At a bilateral meeting in the capital of Bavaria, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linkevičius and Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Louise Mushikiwabo agreed to aim to prompt the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. The Minister also got acquainted with Rwanda’s expectations for relations with the EU, as Lithuania will hold the Presidency in the second half of the year, and cooperation within the United Nations.

During the conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Ministers agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and intensify contacts between the two countries at all levels.

At the Munich Security Conference, the Lithuanian delegation was led by President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and accompanied by Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas.

The Munich Security Conference is an annual forum where world leaders and public opinion-makers meet to discuss topical issues of international security. This year, the event was attended by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, Presidents of Estonia, Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Croatia, and Kosovo, and Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers from many EU member states, NATO and other countries.