At a meeting with Director General at the Political Department of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs Kirsti Kauppi on March 22 in Vilnius, Political Director of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry Dalius Čekuolis discussed cooperation as Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union is drawing nearer, and the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

The Directors discussed important issues of EU-Russia relations, the Eastern Partnership, and exchanged views on the situation in Syria and in the Middle East region. Priorities for Lithuania’s EU Presidency were presented at the meeting, and Finland was invited to participate at the highest political level in the 3rd Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius this November.

The Political Directors noted the significance of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation. Čekuolis thanked Finland for the invitation to take part in the joint Nordic-Baltic emergency exercises on 14 March 2013, simulating a nuclear accident in the Loviisa nuclear power plant. These exercises presented an opportunity for Lithuanian authorities to test their response to nuclear accidents and the information exchange system.

When speaking about ensuring security in the Baltic region, Čekuolis also emphasized the necessity to comply with nuclear safety requirements and the solidarity of the EU member states with regard to EU common nuclear safety policy in the EU neighbourhood.

The Political Director assured about Lithuania’s readiness to join a Nordic military instructors’ team being formed by Finland for the European Union Training Mission in Mali.