News

On 28 February during the official visit to Israel, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas and Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni agreed to seek a more active economic cooperation between the countries.

‘Israel is the most important partner of Lithuania in the Middle East,’ said the head of Lithuanian diplomacy.

The Ministers indicated that the legal basis for economic cooperation was already established and the necessary agreements were signed. The development of economic relations today very much depends on the initiative of businessmen of both countries.

The Ministers signed an agreement on cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries.

During the meeting, the Middle East Peace Process, the energy security issues, the European Neighbourhood Policy, relations with Russia, transatlantic cooperation and other important issues of international politics were discussed.

On 27 February the Minister visited the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), where he met with Israeli Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour Eliyahu Yishai, the Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzhak Cohen, Chairman of the Israel-Lithuania Friendship Group in Knesset Stas Misezhnikov and other members of the group.

Minister P.Vaitiekūnas and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour E.Yishai agreed that it was necessary to define clearer the possible areas of close cooperation, which would be beneficial for both countries, also to promote direct business relations and prepare business missions. P.Vaitiekūnas invited Minister E.Yishai to visit Lithuania with a business delegation.

During the meeting with Israeli Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour, those Lithuanian businessmen also took part: Director General of Sicor Biotech Vladas Bumelis and Managing Director of EMP Recycling Almontas Kybartas.

P.Vaitiekūnas and Lithuanian businessmen met with Israeli business representatives: Israeli binational Chambers of Commerce chief Amon Dotan, chairman of Israel's Export and International Cooperation Institute David Arzi, Chairman of the Board of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Eliyahu Hurvitz, whose company is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Israel, Chairman of the Israel-British Chamber of Commerce Len Judes and Lithuanian Honorary Consuls in Israel Amos Eiran and Haim Ariel. Most of those businessmen are members of the Litvak community.

At the meeting, the participants discussed the possibilities of a more active cooperation of businessmen of both countries and perspectives of the activity of the Israel-Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce, which is about to start functioning.

The Minister of Religious Affairs Y.Cohen took interest in the process of solution of the issue concerning the former Jewish cemetery in Šnipiškės. Minister P.Vaitiekūnas informed him that earthworks in this territory had been stopped temporarily, until the investigation would be completed and boundaries of the former cemetery would be defined. It is intended to announce an international competition for the project to monumentalize this cemetery.

Minister P.Vaitiekūnas assured that Lithuania was searching for the ways of solution of this delicate issue and expressed trust that the solution would be found in the nearest future.

During the meeting with Chairman of the Israel-Lithuania Friendship Group in Knesset S.Misezhnikov, the possibilities to strengthen not only political, but also economic and cultural relations between the countries were discussed.

Minister P.Vaitiekūnas visited Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs´ and Heroes´ Remembrance Authority, where he viewed the exposition of the museum and laid a wreath in honour of the victims of the Holocaust. Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev was glad that Lithuania actively informs the society, especially its youth, about Holocaust.

In the evening the Minister gave a lecture on the European Neighbourhood Policy in the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Centre Herzliya. The students of that school are acquiring specializations in Public Administration and Diplomacy.

During the meeting with members of the Litvak community at the Lithuanian Embassy in Tel-Aviv, the head of Lithuanian diplomacy conferred an award, the Cross of the Knight of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, which was assigned by the decree of President Valdas Adamkus to a Yiddish writer, poet, former Vilnius Ghetto prisoner, who has a place of honour in the Lithuanian Jewish culture, Abraham Sutzkever.

‘Lithuania is my homeland, my life and my spirit,’ thanked A. Sutzkever.

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs conferred the Foreign Ministry award ‘The Star of Lithuania’s Millennium’, to a famous Jewish writer who was born and previously lived in Lithuania Icchokas Meras. 

Minister also visited the Litvak community Beit Vilna. The Litvaks who participated at the meeting indicated that they wanted to maintain their relations with Lithuania and to pass it onto their children.

This evening Minister P.Vaitiekūnas is taking part in the event, organised by the Lithuanian Embassy in Israel to celebrate the Day of Re-establishment of the State of Lithuania.