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According to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis we must focus on the quality of the EU accession negotiations and not on the calculation of the closed chapters or statistical “race” with the other candidates. “The responsibility for every adopted decision has constantly been increasing,” pointed out the head of the Lithuanian diplomacy and the delegation for the EU accession negotiations after a meeting of the EU and Lithuanian ministerial-level Negotiation Conference held on December 12, in Brussels. It was the 5th negotiation meeting of the Ministers since February 2000 when Lithuania launched the EU accession negotiations. Seven meetings between the EU and Lithuanian chief negotiators were already held during the period. At the meeting the negotiation results of the last six months were summarized and confirmed: since July, during the Belgium’s Presidency of the EU, Lithuania has already fixed three negotiating chapters – on Free Movement of Persons, Customs Union and Competition Policy. Thus, Lithuania and the EU have preliminary closed 21 negotiating chapters. The EU accession negotiations have been proceeding according to a negotiation calendar adapted in Nice last year. Lithuanian Foreign Minister considers that the calendar has served its purpose and should be adhered to in further negotiations. That was also acknowledged by the European Commission in the Strategic Paper adopted a month ago, which confirmed that the EU had to be prepared to close the negotiations with the ten most advanced aspirant countries next year and to invite them to join the EU in 2004. During the current sitting of the EU foreign ministers earlier this week there was made a decision not to reveal the number of the aspirant countries which were planned to be invited to accede the EU in 2004. Commenting on the agreement Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis pointed out that “the resolution proves that a decision on the enlargement has yet been reached and there are some cautious opinions about the EC’s prognoses. Therefore, this situation encourages us to continuing intense preparations for the membership.” The head of the Lithuanian diplomacy together with the Latvian and Estonian counterparts met member of the EC Günter Verheugen. The EC official noted that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia had reinforced their positions among the aspirant countries by a tangible progress in the negotiations and there were grounded perspectives to close the negotiations next year. Minister Valionis indicated, “This assurance is a good sign. We have also achieved a successful negotiation position – according to our results we are firmly standing among the most advanced aspirants. Nevertheless, a classical principle of negotiations should be remembered: nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. That has constantly been reminded by the EU, so we must be guided by this principle as well.“ Minister Valionis and Commissioner Verheugen also discussed the Ignalina nuclear power station issue. Tough but fruitful negotiations are expected next year when the negotiations on the issues of energy, taxes, finance, regional policy and agriculture between the EU, chaired by Spain and Denmark, and Lithuania is to reach the final phase.