HEADS OF DIPLOMACY OF LITHUANIA AND THE U.S.A. DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES OF CLOSER BILATERAL COOPERATION
On 9 March in Washington during a working visit to the U.S.A., Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton and discussed bilateral relations, security and other issues of international policy. During the meeting, the U.S. Secretary of State highlighted the commitments of the U.S.A. to Lithuania in compliance with the Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and indicated that Lithuania and the U.S.A. were NATO Allies. H.R.Clinton thanked for the critical and constructive position of Lithuania regarding the relations between NATO and Russia, which was voiced the previous week during the informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels. The U.S. Secretary of State indicated that various issues would be discussed at the NATO-Russia Council, including Russia’s international obligations to Georgia.
Heads of the Lithuanian and U.S. diplomacy also discussed issues of energy security.
“The U.S. support for strengthening energy security and diversification of energy suppliers is very important to Lithuania and the whole of the EU,” said V.Ušackas, emphasizing the significance of close cooperation between the U.S.A. and the EU for tackling the issues of energy security.
During the meeting, the economic, financial and political situation in Ukraine and Georgia was discussed. H.R.Clinton and V.Ušackas emphasized the support of the U.S.A. and Lithuania for NATO membership aspirations of these countries. Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs invited the new U.S. administration to continue consistent support to the internal reforms in Ukraine and Georgia, and to help these countries to achieve the EU and NATO standards.
The U.S. Secretary of State congratulated the Minister on the occasion of the millennium anniversary of the first mention of Lithuania’s name. Having stated that the U.S.A. could not boast of such a long history as Lithuania, H.R.Clinton expressed her trust that strong partnership between the U.S.A. and Lithuania, cooperation and common values would continue for just as long.
During the meeting, key issues on the transatlantic agenda and bilateral relations between Lithuania and the U.S.A. were also discussed: NATO’s activities in Afghanistan, NATO’s relations with Russia, the results of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels, NATO’s air police mission in the Baltic States, energy security, NATO and EU’s policy in the Eastern Europe and restitution.
Heads of the Lithuanian and U.S. diplomacy agreed that both countries would cooperate closely during Lithuania’s chairmanship of the Community of Democracies and would seek tangible and meaningful activities of this organisation. Lithuania starts to chair this organisation this July.
After the meeting, Secretary of State H.R.Clinton and Foreign Minister V.Ušackas signed the Protocol of Exchange of Ratification on the Treaties of Bilateral Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance. Lithuania is the first EU country, which has exchanged documents on ratification of these agreements with the U.S.A.
On 10 March, while continuing his working visit to the U.S.A., Minister V.Ušackas will take part in the discussion of the American Lithuanian Economic Development Advisory Council (ALEDAC) and Lithuanian Honorary Consuls on the perspectives of development of the Lithuanian-U.S. business relations. Head of the Lithuanian diplomacy will participate in the opening ceremony of the reconstructed premises of the Lithuanian Embassy and the celebration of the 11th of March. The Minister will meet members of the U.S. Congress.
Protocol of Exchange of Ratification: Bilateral Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Between the United States and Lithuania
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