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On 11 January in Vilnius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis held a meeting with the Turkish Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator for Turkey’s accession negotiations with the EU Egemen Bağiş. During the meeting, Ažubalis stressed the necessity for Turkey to continue reforms aimed at European integration and affirmed Lithuania’s continued support and readiness to share the experience of EU integration.

“Lithuania will continue to consistently support Turkey’s aspirations of European integration. We support the ongoing democratic reforms in Turkey and believe that they will give a new impetus to the country’s membership talks with the EU. Lithuania is ready to help Turkey on its path towards the EU and to share the experience of European integration”, Ažubalis said.

The ministers discussed bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and Turkey and its future prospects.

“The last 20 years of Lithuania-Turkey relations were marked by mutual respect and support. Today we are reaping the fruits of this successful cooperation between Lithuania and Turkey within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations and NATO. Our bilateral relations are strengthening, numbers of economic cooperation and flows of tourism are growing”, Ažubalis stressed.

He called on Turkey to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of transport and reiterated the invitation to join the agreement of Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova on the freight carriage by shuttle train ‘Viking’, connecting the Baltic and Black Sea regions.

During the visit, the Turkish Minister participated in the informal Snow Meeting of experts in international affairs and security policy from European and North American countries in Trakai.

The Turkish Minister also held meetings with Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, members of the Committee on European Affairs of the Seimas (Parliament) and Group for Interparliamentary Relations with Turkey.