News

On 22 December, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Vygaudas Ušackas spoke on the telephone with Karel Schwarzenberg, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic - the EU Presidency for the first half of 2009.

During the conversation, Ministers discussed priorities of the Czech EU Presidency. Minister V.Ušackas indicated that the priorities of the Czech Republic - increasing competitiveness of the European economy, guaranteeing energy security, deepening relations with the EU’s neighbouring countries and development of transatlantic relations - matched the main goals of Lithuania in the EU. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania stated that Lithuania supported the priorities of the Czech EU Presidency.

The Ministers had a more detailed discussion on the issues of Eastern Neighbourhood policy and concrete initiatives, to which Lithuania could make a sound contribution. Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic was positive about the achievements of Lithuania in the EU Eastern Neighbourhood policy and expressed hope that Lithuania, which had experience in its relations with Ukraine, Georgia and other countries of Eastern partnership, would continue to actively participate, while implementing the EU Eastern Partnership initiative. K.Schwarzenberg highlighted that he valued Lithuania’s steps on the path of increasing energy security in the region.

The Ministers encouraged all the six countries of Eastern Partnership – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine – to benefit from the perspectives of deepening their relations with the EU that would open during the Czech Presidency.