On July 19, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis appointed deputy foreign ministers. Giedrius Čekuolis will be responsible for Lithuanian NATO integration and the security policy goals' formation; Evaldas Ignatavičius will be in charge of bilateral relations, information policy formation and foreign policy planning; Oskaras Jusys - responsible for Lithuania's diplomatic activity in organizations within the United Nations system and in the Council of Europe, as well as for the consular policy formation and implementation and Rytis Martikonis - for Lithuania's EU membership negotiations and the organization and coordination of Lithuania's EU membership-orientated activity. With a view of intensifying the representation of Lithuania's economic interests, the dividing of official functions in the areas of foreign economic bilateral and multilateral policy formation will be specified in near future.
Čekuolis was born on 29 March 1959. In 1982 he graduated from the Institute of International Relations in Moscow. In 1982 - 1987 Čekuolis worked in the Society of Lithuanian Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. In 1987-1992 - Northern European Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1992-1994 - Councellor, Lithuanian Embassy in Sweden, 1994 - Charge d'affaires, Lithuanian Embassy in France, 1994-1995 - Charge d'affaires, Lithuanian Embassy in Spain, 1995-1999 - Ambassador of Lithuania to Spain, 1999 - 2000 Director of Multilateral Relations Department, MFA, since 2000 November - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Languages - English, French, Spanish, Swedish and Russian. Married, one daughter.
Ignatavičius was born on 8 February 1967. In 1992 he graduated from the Faculty of Philology, Vilnius University. In 1991-1995 Ignatavičius worked in the Eastern and Central European Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1995-1998 - Councellor, Lithuanian Embassy in Poland, 1998-2000 - Head of the Eastern European and Central Asian Division, MFA, 2000 - Lithuanian Consul General to Kaliningrad, Russian Federation, since 2001 January - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Languages - English, German, Russian, Polish. Married, one son.
Jusys was born on 13 January 1954. In 1977 he graduated from the Faculty of Law, Vilnius University, in 1981 - from the Faculty of Law, Moscow M. Lomonosov University. In 1977-1978 and 1981-1990 Jusys worked in the Faculty of Law, Vilnius University. In 1990-1993 - Director of the Law Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1993-1994 - Advisor of the Foreign Minister, 1994-2000 - Ambassador of Lithuania to the United Nations, since 2000 April - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Languages - English, Russian, Polish, French.
Martikonis was born on 8 February 1967. In 1993 he graduated from the Faculty of Law, Vilnius University. In 1992-1995 Martikonis worked in Multilateral Relations, Western European and European Integration divisions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1995-1999 - Councellor, Lithuanian Mission to the European Communities. 1999-2001 - Director of the European Integration Department, MFA. Languages - English, Russian. Married, two daughters.