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On 9 November, in Tbilisi, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas met with President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. At the meeting the situation in Georgia was discussed. According to President of Georgia M.Saakashvili, the upcoming elections will be democratic. President of Georgia also indicated that the state of emergency is to be lifted soon.

“The plan to hold presidential elections in Georgia on 5 January the next year is a very important decision. Free elections and a dialogue with opposition is a European way to resolve the crisis”, said Minister P.Vaitiekūnas.

The significance of free and democratic elections and the importance of a dialogue with opposition were also stressed during the conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Gela Bezhuashvili.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia assured that the presidential elections that were due on 5 January 2008, would comply with all international norms and international observers were already being invited. G.Bezhuashvili indicated that the priorities of Georgian foreign policy – integration into the European Union and NATO - were firm and irrevocable.

During the conversation with the Head of Georgian diplomacy, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs P.Vaitiekūnas expressed his expectation for Georgia to pass the exam and continue to introduce successful reforms in the country, which is on its path to democracy.

In Tbilisi, the Head of Lithuanian diplomacy also met with Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Nino Burjanadze and Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli.

During the visit of the Head of Lithuanian diplomacy, conversations covered such issues as the reforms that are being implemented in the country and matters of Euro-Atlantic integration, the participation in the European Neighbourhood policy, projects of bilateral development assistance, as well as possibilities to reach agreements on visa facilitation regime and free trade with the European Union.

Minister of Foreign Affairs P.Vaitiekūnas intends to raise these issues at the next meeting of Foreign Ministers of the European Union.

In Tbilisi, Minister P.Vaitiekūnas also met with the EU Special Representative for the Southern Caucasus Peter Semneby. P.Vaitiekūnas and P.Semneby discussed the situation in Georgia, stressing the importance of free and democratic elections.

Portugal's Foreign Minister Luis Amado, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, has telephoned Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs P.Vaitiekūnas to inquire about the results of the visit in Georgia.

Today Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs is returning to Vilnius.