News

Оn 22 April in Warsaw, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas met with Poland‘s head of diplomacy Radoslaw Sikorski. Minister V.Ušackas, who was on a working visit to Poland, invited his Polish counterpart to develop a closer cooperation on international policy issues.

The ministers agreed to follow the tradition of solidarity that was cherished in the times of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and to join forces while preparing to take the wheels of Europe in 2011.

“Synchronized agendas of Lithuania’s OSCE chairmanship and Polish EU Presidency in 2011 would guarantee the longevity of European democracy and solidarity path, which reflects the expectations of people. This might be an opportunity to lift Lithuanian and Polish relations to a higher level“, Lithuania‘s Minister of Foreign Affairs noted.

The foreign ministers discussed ways to make cooperation in NATO more active and to make full use of the Eastern Partnership initiative by developing relations with Belarus, Ukraine and countries of the Caucasus.

At the meeting, perspectives of relations with Russia and cooperation in the Community of Democracies were discussed. Lithuania will start chairing this intergovernmental organization in summer 2009.

Minister V.Ušackas encouraged Minister R.Sikorski and other Polish politicians to stimulate “the people‘s diplomacy“ by developing close relations between Lithuania‘s and Poland‘s schools, communities, youth organizations and parishes.

“Lithuania and Poland are related by strong political, cultural, economic and energy security interests, but the most important link is the people. I am sure that Lithuanians and Poles can enrich each other in many different ways“, Minister V.Ušackas said.

Lithuania‘s Minister of Foreign  Affairs suggested that both countries celebrate the anniversary of the battle of Žalgiris in 2010 and invite Ukrainians, Belarusians, Russians as well as representatives of other nations that also participated in the battle to join the celebration.

Lithuania will hold the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2011 and the Presidency over the European Union in 2013. Poland will hold the EU Presidency in 2011.