LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ACQUAINTS RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR WITH NATO DECISION TO ENSURE BALTIC STATES’ AIR SPACE DEFENCE
Created 2004-03-18
On 18 March, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis met with Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Lithuania Boris Tsepov.
Minister Valionis acquainted the Russian Ambassador with NATO decision concerning the integrated air space defence of the enlarged NATO.
Antanas Valionis underlined that membership of the seven countries including Lithuania in NATO expanded the security area in the region. “The Western Russian border has never been so safe,” the Minister said at the meeting.
He also indicated that NATO would take decisions concerning the defence of its territory on its own. “These decisions would not compromise any commitments by Lithuania or NATO and would not break any agreements in effect,” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister pointed out.
Antanas Valionis expressed hope to welcome the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov at the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council to take place in Brussels on 2 April this year.
According to Minister Valionis, Lithuania plans to participate actively in the work of the NATO-Russia Council after the country’s accession to NATO.
Antanas Valionis and Boris Tsepov expressed their belief that Lithuania and Russia would maintain good neighbourly relations and continue constructive cooperation in the future.
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