On 1 January, the Lithuanian Embassy in Sweden assumed the role of NATO’s Contact Point Embassy in this country for next two years.

Among the key tasks of NATO’s Contact Point Embassy in Stockholm there will be: disseminating information about the Alliance, organizing NATO’s special events, and supporting the Alliance’s partner – Sweden - in implementing various NATO projects and programmes.

In carrying out these functions, the Lithuanian Embassy plans to closely collaborate with the Swedish non-governmental organisations, public authorities and the media. It is expected that priority topics will be the following: the strengthening of the regional identity of the Nordic and Baltic countries in NATO; the engagement of Sweden and other regional countries in the activities of NATO’s centres of excellence; the promotion of NATO’s flexible partnership frameworks; the engagement of Sweden and other partners in the activities of NATO; the advancing of NATO’s relations with the European Union.

According to Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius, Sweden’s increased cooperation with NATO will strengthen overall security of Lithuania and the region.

“Lithuania has gladly assumed the role of NATO’s Contact Point Embassy in Sweden. We hope that in representing the Alliance we shall be able to contribute to the strengthening of the cooperation of our close partner – Sweden – with NATO, thus strengthening the security of Lithuania and the region,” the Foreign Minister said.

So far Lithuanian representations have served as NATO’s Contact Point Embassies in Georgia, Moldova and Belarus.