News

On 12 October in Washington D.C., Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius and senior officials of the U.S. administration discussed important foreign policy issues.

The officials paid special attention to NATO and US-European Union summits in November in Lisbon, Lithuania’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2011 and Lithuania’s presidency of the Community of Democracies that has already reached its midterm.

At the meetings, the officials also discussed prospects of Russia-Ukraine relations, the situation in Belarus and events in the Caucasus.

At the meeting with U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Nancy McEldowney, Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius said that Lithuania was taking over the OSCE chairmanship after having accumulated the necessary experience for it.

“Lithuania’s goal is to strengthen comprehensive security within the OSCE area, to look for solutions to protracted conflicts and to encourage the international community to realize that respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the principles of international law is the single element of successful and sustainable cooperation among the countries,” Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius said.

During the meeting with N.McEldowney, the Vice-Minister also raised the issue of the preservation of Lithuanian cultural heritage in the U.S.A. and requested the U.S. administration to dedicated due attention to it.

Lithuania’s presidency of the Community of Democracies was discussed at the meeting with the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero.

Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius stressed that at the Community of Democracies ministerial meeting on 30 June - 1 July 2011 in Vilnius Lithuania would aim to have important decisions made regarding the reform of the Community of Democracies, which would allow ensuring functional viability and efficiency of the Community.

Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius reminded that a forum of Women World Leaders would be held at the same time in Vilnius.

In Washington D.C., Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with the U.S non-governmental organizations that take an active part in the field of democracy-building. It was agreed to have these organizations involved into the projects that are implemented by Lithuania.