News

On 14 October in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė attended a joint meeting of NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers. At the meeting, NATO ministers gave a political evaluation of the Alliance’s new draft Strategic Concept that was put forward by the Secretary General. Heads of State and Government from NATO countries will approve the new Strategic Concept at the upcoming NATO Summit in Lisbon.

In the estimation by Ministers A.Ažubalis and R.Juknevičienė, the draft of NATO’s Strategic Concept is in line with Lithuania’s interests in principle. The two members of the Government of Lithuania spoke about Lithuania’s basic interest that NATO should remain a strong, unified Alliance with a will and capacity to withstand both traditional and new security threats.

At the meeting, the Ministers also discussed NATO’s missile defense, NATO-Russia relations, NATO’s partnership with other countries and organizations, and other current issues of security and international policy.

“Our goal during the negotiations is to preserve clear provisions on collective defense, energy and cyber security, nuclear deterrence, open-door policy and relations with Russia in the draft,” Foreign Minister A.Ažubalis said.

When speaking about possibilities to develop NATO’s missile defense system, Minister R.Juknevičienė said that Lithuania supported the creation of NATO’s missile defense system, if it equally protected all members of the Alliance.

Foreign Minister A.Ažubalis spoke up for the development of NATO-Russia relations that would be based on mutual respect, values and on the fulfillment of international commitments. At the same time, head of the Lithuanian diplomacy reminded that in the dialogue with Russia it was important to raise also questions about ensuring Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

“An open and in-depth political discussion on all key issues of Euro-Atlantic security and the ability to find the balance between 28 countries in assessing basic security challenges and means to deal with them, testifies to NATO’s strength and modernity. This is good news for Lithuania and for the Alliance,” Minister R.Juknevičienė said when evaluating the meeting.

Heads of State and Government intend to approve NATO’s new Strategic Concept at the upcoming NATO Summit in Lisbon on 19-20 November. On 19-20 November in Lisbon, the NATO Summit intends to approve NATO’s new Strategic Concept.It will replace the concept that was adopted in 1999.