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During the round table discussion that was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 6 September, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis stressed the successful cooperation between Lithuania and Poland after the re-establishment of diplomatic relations 20 years ago, the partnership of the countries when integrating into the structures of the Western world and relations that are strengthened by European values.

“Twenty years ago we were separated by real barbed wire fences, we went to Warsaw through Moscow and by train through Grodno, or we would stand in a queue that extended for more than a dozen kilometres at the Lithuanian-Polish border. However, having re-established our diplomatic relations, we started a new phase of intensive cooperation,” A.Ažubalis said.

The round-table discussion “Diplomatic aspects of the re-establishment and development of Lithuanian-Polish relations”, which was dedicated to the 20-anniversary of the re-establishment of the Lithuanian-Polish diplomatic relations, focused on the development of Lithuanian-Polish relations and future perspectives.

The event was attended by first Ambassador of Poland to Lithuania Jan Widacki and first director of the Polish Institute in Vilnius Wojciech Wróblewski. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania A.Ažubalis conferred “Lithuania’s Diplomacy Star” – the award of honour of Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs - on them for their contribution to the development of Lithuanian-Polish relations.

“Thanks to the efforts of these people, at that time the spiral of bilateral relations went up rather quickly,” the Minister said.

The Minister wished them to rise above stereotypes, to avoid acting on the emotions and to strengthen relations between the peoples with the ​​pillars of European values.

The diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Poland were re-established on 5 September 1991.