News

On 30 September, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis, continuing his visit in New York, met with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Executive Director of the United Nations (UN) Office of the Iraq programme Benon Sevan, Belarussian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov and US Permanent Representative at the UN John Negroponte. During the meeting with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the counterparts discussed the issues of bilateral cooperation, rejoiced over a new well-functioning order of transit to and from the Kaliningrad region, discussed the 2K project and cooperation in the field of energy as well as ratification of the agreement on avoidance of double taxation. Minister Valionis reminded Lithuania’s concern over the incomprehensive environment control data presented by Russia on the D-6 oil deposit, which is situated near the Curonian Spit. Minister Ivanov agreed on the necessity to call a meeting between the experts and top-officials of both countries’ environmental departments. During the conversation, the ministers touched upon the issues of cooperation between the European Union (EU) and Russia and discussed the situation in Iraq and the Middle East. At the meeting with John Negroponte, the officials exchanged opinions on the perspectives of the peace-keeping process in the Middle East, the Iraqi situation, the possibility to adopt the new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq and importance of the upcoming donor conference in Madrid. These issues alongside with business opportunities in Iraq were also the main topics discussed at the meeting between Antanas Valionis and Benon Sevan. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister and his Belarussian counterpart discussed the issues of the state border security and border checkpoints as well as the issues of trade and economic cooperation with a view of Lithuania’s accession into the EU.