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On 7 June Undersecretary of Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Laimonas Talat-Kelpša welcomed the participants of the third Lithuanian-Belarusian Economic Forum in Druskininkai. “The main Lithuanian foreign policy priority is to develop good neighbour relations with the neighbour states. Belarus is one of the closest Lithuanian neighbours, with which we have cooperated and will cooperate in all spheres,” Undersecretary of the Ministry said.

In his speech Mr Talat-Kelpša noted that the bilateral trade volumes are obviously increasing. In 2006 Lithuanian export to Belarus grew up by 40 % comparing with 2005. Import from Belarus also increased significantly by 25% in 2006 comparing with 2005.

“At the moment bilateral Lithuanian-Belarusian economic cooperation is successful, but there are possibilities for further development,” L. Talat-Kelpša noted and stressed the importance of cooperation in energy sphere.

According to Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, energy, transport and transit sectors are the principal directions of Lithuanian-Belarusian economic cooperation.

Undersecretary of the Ministry also invited Belarusian businessmen to use the potential of economic ties provided by partnership with the European Union.

“Through Lithuania the path of Belarusian businessmen to the ‘old’ Europe would be one of the shortest,” Ministry Undersecretary L. Talat-Kelpša said.

The Lithuanian-Belarusian Economic Forum organized by Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists is attended by representatives of Lithuanian and Belarusian business organizations, Ministries of communications, economy, agriculture and other state institutions, businessmen etc.

During the Forum perspectives of Lithuanian-Belarusian cooperation in energy sphere, transport infrastructure development, transit possibilities are discussed.

This is the third Lithuanian-Belarusian Economic Forum. The first took place in 2005 in Klaipėda, the second in 2006 in Saligorsk, Belarus.

The organizers of the Forum cooperated actively with Belarusian Foreign Ministry, Belarusian Embassy in Lithuania, Belarusian Confederation of Industrialists and Employers.