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In the Europe Forum held in the Swiss city of Lucerne on 18 October, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis underlined the importance of further European Union enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy. In his address to the annual Europe Forum in Lucerne, this year devoted to the new EU member states, the Minister noted that the EU enlargement process brought more guarantees of security and stability, fostered economic growth, development of social policy and maintaining of cultural identity. Antanas Valionis underscored that Lithuania thoroughly approved the beginning of EU accession negotiations with Turkey. According to the Minister, Turkey’s potential membership in the EU would facilitate putting other countries such as Ukraine, Moldova and the Southern Caucasus states into the EU perspective. In Valionis’ words, in order to persuade these countries to move towards Europe they should be offered a prospect of full-fledged membership in the future. The Minister accentuated that it was important to keep the doors open to the countries like Ukraine and Moldova, who had already expressed their aspiration for the EU membership. According to him, the European Neighbourhood Policy could be the main integration instrument for the countries that have chosen the path of European integration, to which it is important to include Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In his speech, the Minister also drew attention towards the necessity to maintain Georgia’s territorial integrity. After delivering the speech, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister participated in the discussion “New Political Horizons in Larger Europe”. Officials of the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy, the International Chamber of Commerce, the Lithuanian Development Agency and business representatives also take part in the Europe Forum. The topic of this year’s Europe Forum in Lucerne is “European Union and Switzerland”. Five new EU member states – Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia – have been invited to take part in it. These countries present their political, economic and cultural achievements to Switzerland and the international community.