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On December 10, a sitting of the Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and US Partnership Commission took place in Washington D.C. Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis headed the Lithuanian delegation. During the sitting Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis met US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage, State Department’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs Marc Grossman and other state department officials. The Baltic region security and NATO enlargement, combating terrorism and other international policy issues were discussed at the sitting of the Partnership Commission. The subjects of economic co-operation between Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the US as well as the creation of civic society were also considered. The head of the US delegation, Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Marc Grossman noted that the September 11th terrorist attacks did not modify the US foreign policy course. The obligations envisaged in the Partnership Charter to support the integration of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia into the Trans-Atlantic political, economic and security structures remained while the necessity to enlarge the NATO after the September 11th grew even stronger. At the sitting the parties agreed to arrange the next session of the Partnership Commission in June 2002, in Vilnius. Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis also visited the White House National Security Council where he met Deputy Security Advisor to the US President Stephen Hadley. During the dinner organized by the US Committee on NATO Minister Valionis had a conversation with US President National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. At the meetings Foreign Minister Valionis pointed out that the invitation of Lithuania and other Vilnius group states to join the North Atlantic Alliance in 2002, in Prague would mean an important step towards the creation of a free and united Europe.