News

On 8 May Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas had a working lunch with Secretary General of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, who pays a visit to Lithuania.

During the lunch issues on the top of the OSCE agenda such as resolution of “frozen” conflicts in Southern Caucasus and the Balkans, Lithuania’s preparation for the OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE activities in Afghanistan and Kosovo were discussed.

P. Vaitiekūnas marked, that Lithuania is seriously concerned over Russia’s decision to start formal cooperation with Georgia’s separatist regions of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia as well as over such incidents as shooting down of Georgia’s unmanned intelligence plane on 20 April. According to the Minister, the international community should not remain indifferent to rightful concern of Georgia’s authorities over infringement of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Minister also expressed support to the long-term involvement of the OSCE into reconstruction activities in Afghanistan without doubling activities of other international organisations and states. Lithuania heading a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor province welcomes more active participation of the OSCE in the areas where organization’s activities would create added value.

P. Vaitiekūnas also assured that Lithuania seriously and responsibly prepares for the future OSCE Chairmanship in 2011, plans administration and financial resources, identifies future chairmanship priorities.

OSCE Secretary General M.P. de Brichambaut said that he appreciated Lithuania’s efforts and activities in resolution of “frozen” conflicts and active support to the reforms in the states of Eastern Europe. M.P. de Brichambaut also took a favourable view of Lithuania’s preparations for  the OSCE Chairmanship and expressed hope that Lithuania would actively and positively contribute to the OSCE activities during the Chairmanship. He assured that OSCE Secretariat would in every possible way help Lithuania to chair the OSCE and emphasized the importance of Lithuania’s cooperation with Kazakhstan which will chair the OSCE in 2010.

M.P. de Brichambaut stressed that taking into consideration difficult situation in Afghanistan and strong need for funding, OSCE projects in this country will be long-term and will require greater participation of all OSCE states. According to him, OSCE activities in Afghanistan will remain important objective of the organisation during Lithuania’s Chairmanship. Given Lithuania’s experience in this country, in the future OSCE activities in Afghanistan could be expanded and include not only currently planned projects in education of border guards, police and customs officers.