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On January 10 Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis met with Ambassador of Spain José Pons Irazazabal, who is accredited to Lithuania from Copenhagen. The Ambassador presented the programme of Spanish EU Presidency and its priorities. He voiced Spain’s support to EU enlargement and earliest possible Lithuania’s accession to the EU, noting that the readiness for membership of each aspirant country will be judged by the achieved progress and will depend on its efforts. He positively evaluated Lithuania’s progress in the accession negotiations during the year of 2001, as well as harmonisation of the Lithuanian legal system to EU law. The Ambassador also favourably assessed Lithuania’s actions in the fight against international terrorism. Minister Valionis spoke on the current priorities of Lithuania at EU accession negotiations stressing that Lithuania is implementing all its obligations taken up at the negotiations with the EU. He indicated that Lithuania is seeking to participate in the discussion on EU future and adoption of relevant decisions. The Foreign Minister reaffirmed Lithuania’s Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations and reminded about the necessity of opening the Spanish Embassy in Vilnius. Both parties discussed the upcoming visit to Lithuania by Prime Minister of Spain José Maria Aznar, bilateral issues of political and economic cooperation and exchanged opinions on the possibility of the liberalisation of labour movement between the two countries.