News

AUSTRALIA has been urged to step up pressure on Russia over its intervention in Ukraine and possible threat to other regional nations. Visiting Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius has made the plea to his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop and thanked Australia for its solid stance against Russian aggression. “We really need more voices like that ... what’s happening is not just another conflict, this is something more serious,” he told the Herald Sun. “They should take into account that (Russia) — a member of the UN Security Council, a permanent member, is conducting aggression against a neighbour and doing that in the 21st century, undermining all peace structures and rules of the world.” “Our message to democratic nations is to continue the pressure and also to apply a kind of political isolation (of Russia), which is also not happening.” PM Tony Abbott created international headlines last year when he threatened to “shirt-front” Russian President Vladimir Putin over his alleged involvement in the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines jet MH17. Mr Linkevicius, who is in Melbourne today, said that Lithuania did not believe it was under immediate threat due to its membership of NATO. “I have no reason not to trust the guarantees which have been provided by the alliance, but on the other hand people are nervous and uncertain, they are looking around at what’s happening,” he said. “There is no reason for panic but also no reason to be relaxed.” NATO has been building its presence in the Baltic States and other regional countries such as Poland. Mr Linkevicius said that Lithuania and Australia would start talks on a working holiday-maker scheme and he wanted to boost trade between the two nations, which was “not impressive”. He said that the newly-created Australian Lithuanian Business Council would help develop economic ties. Mr Linkevicius was due to give a public seminar at midday at RMIT on the “Changing Security Situation in Europe — New Challenges to the International Security Environment”. Mr Linkevicius also visited the BIO 21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute in Parkville is due to meet Lord Mayor Robert Doyle.   JOHN MASANAUSKAS Herald Sun