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On April 2, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis was received by the President Valdas Adamkus to discuss the course of Lithuania's EU integration. At the meeting Valionis noted that the preliminary agreement reached on March 30 in Brussels on the closing of another six negotiating chapters could be regarded as considerable progress. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister evaluated the achieved progress as a result of the purposeful and hard work of the Lithuanian Parliament, Government, and the Delegation for Negotiations and all the institutions involved into the integration process. The Minister said, that the achievement is deserved, and everything what had to be done, was done.The Minister rejoiced at the fact that Lithuania is successfully using the opportunity to catch up with the first group of candidates, which has been offered by the Helsinki Summit. 'After the successful 'fast track' we can aspire to a leader's shirt among the countries, which opened the membership negotiations last year. We can see we are in a dynamic process where progress is made according to one's potential, the actual state of affairs and the chosen tactics,' said Valionis. 'However, the negotiations are not a sprint, they are rather a marathon', the head of the Lithuanian diplomacy warned. According to the Minister, 'we should not lose speed, strength and breath, and relax by no means. The numbers are very important, but we are not going to go into competition with other candidates. The negotiations are not a beauty contest.'Out of the newly coordinated chapters, Valionis singled out the 'Free Movement of Capital.' It is the first out of four chapters, directly related to the common market, and the common market constitutes the basis of the EU. In order to carry out the obligations made in the area of the free movement of capital, Lithuania will still have to change its Constitution in a way that EU nationals have a right to obtain land also for agricultural purposes from the moment when Lithuania becomes an EU member. In order to adopt serious decisions and achieve progress in the negotiations, we will need public support, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister said.The negotiations will 'go further, deeper and become more difficult' during the Swedish EU Presidency in the first half of 2001, and the Belgian Presidency during the second half of this year. Valionis predicts, that one of the issues to be discussed in the nearest future will be the free movement of persons, including the labour force. The Government of Lithuania follows the discussion in the EU on that matter attentively. Several EU member-states see the issue as a very sensitive matter. However, according to the Minister, all the four freedoms regulating the movement of persons, goods, services and capital should be applied on the same basis with regard to Lithuania. Valionis has promised to seek that the EU would provide for certain opportunities of flexibility and individualization. Lithuanian Premier Rolandas Paksas is to discuss the position during his meeting with the Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson on April 3.