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Having started his working visit to Poland in Kraków, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas gave a lecture on 21 April at the Jagiellonian University. The lecture was entitled “Common History Leads to One Future”. The Minister also opened an exhibition dedicated to the Reform Movement of Lithuania (Sąjūdis) “The Road to Freedom”.

At the opening of the exhibition, Minister V.Ušackas stressed that Lithuania made a large part of its journey to freedom together with Poland, and the historical slogan of Lithuanian and Polish freedom fighters “For our freedom and yours!” transformed into mutual support and close cooperation in the 20th century.

During the meeting with the academia of the Jagiellonian University, Minister V.Ušackas reviewed common Lithuanian and Polish history. According to the Minister, our history has more than once testified to the fact that solidarity was the most important condition for the strength of both countries.

“The most outstanding example of the strength of solidarity is the Battle of Žalgiris, when we joined Lithuanian, Polish and other national forces led by Jogaila and Vytautas and defeated the knights of the Teutonic Order,” Minister V.Ušackas reminded the audience about historical facts.

The Minister acknowledged that in the history of Lithuania and Poland there had also been dramatic periods, however, while creating our future we must seek that the relations between the two countries would not become hostages of narrow stereotypes, but that they would be developed in compliance with universally established democratic values and the tradition of solidarity of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The Minister invited to promote the affinity of the two nations by strengthening people-to-people relations and cultural awareness. 

“Our future relations will be determined by ordinary people, who are communicating with each other, by their works and creations. Every nation is alive in its cultural creations. Until we dedicate more attention to the promotion of modern Polish and Lithuanian culture, we, politicians, will have completed only half of work,” the Minister said.

In his speech, Minister V.Ušackas highlighted the importance of the Lithuanian-Polish economic cooperation, strategic partnership achievements, future Lithuanian and Polish Presidency over the European Union and chairmanship of the OSCE.

“A provision was set out in the Constitution of May 3, 1791, that Lithuania and Poland are to hold the rotating presidencies over the main state institutions. Therefore, if such things as the wheels of Europe exist, then Lithuania and Poland shall take them in 2011 – 2013. This will be a favourable opportunity to give it a try and see whether the principle of the Lithuanian-Polish rotation still worked,” Minister of Foreign Affairs V.Ušackas said.

While paying a visit to the Jagiellonian University, Minister V.Ušackas conferred ‘The Star of Lithuania’s Millennium’ on Professor of the University Bogdan Szlachta, crediting his merits for Lithuania and its foreign policy.

On 22 April, the Minister will depart for Warsaw, where he will meet with Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski and will give a lecture at the Kazimierz Pulaski Foundation in Warsaw Public Library.

Lithuania will hold the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2011 and the Presidency over the European Union in 2013. Poland will hold the EU Presidency in 2011.