News

On 31 May in Paris, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of France Alain Juppé signed the strategic partnership action plan, which provides for specific implementation measures of the strategic partnership between Lithuania and France that was consolidated in 2009.

“I believe that the partnership between our countries - Lithuania and France – based on friendship and mutual trust will help us to jointly build our common future in Europe; it is important to transform the words that we today wrote on the paper into specific actions and results soon,” head of the Lithuanian diplomacy said.

The Minister stressed that the action plan provided for activities, which were especially valuable to both countries.

“I would highlight even a few of them: firstly, the action plan provides for organizing much more high-level meetings, to discuss and consult much more broadly than before and; secondly, the action plan ensures the support of France to the construction of the nuclear power plant in Lithuania; thirdly, we have secured support for the extension of the air-policing mission and outlined guidelines for broad economic cooperation - from agriculture to the development of information technology,” A.Ažubalis said.

The action plan also establishes the strengthening of consular assistance in third countries, cooperation in the fight against crime and broad cooperation in the area of education from internship for agricultural experts to the promotion of joint master’s degree programmes.

Lithuania and France established strategic partnership on 4 September 2009, after the Presidents of both countries signed a political declaration. The agreement provides for the strengthening of cooperation within the European Union, in energy, security, economy and other spheres.

On 31 May in Paris, A.Ažubalis also met with Chairman of the French Senate’s Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces Josselin de Rohan and participated in the hearing of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly.