News

On 27 May, at the general meeting session of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, which was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Sąjūdis (Reform Movement of Lithuania), Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas reviewed the development of the Lithuanian state from the singing revolution till the EU and NATO membership.

The head of Lithuanian diplomacy indicated that Lithuanian always identified itself with the Western civilisation, which had its roots in Rome.

‘This perception of our identity was preserved even during the Soviet times. The Russification and Sovietisation, which had lasted for about 200 years with a brief interlude of 25 years in the first half of the 20th century, only strengthened the awareness of belonging to the Western civilisation with its roots in Rome,’ said the head of Lithuanian diplomacy.

Minister P.Vaitiekūnas indicated that seeking to consolidate the independence of Lithuania, one of the most successful steps forward in the domestic, as well as in foreign policy, was granting the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania to all persons who had lived in Lithuania for the minimum of five years. The Minister stressed that a united public opinion and consensus on the main strategic objectives of the country helped to consolidate the Independence.

According to the Minister, no one questioned back then Lithuania’s objective to become an independent state, oriented towards Western democracies. This attitude was expressed by the society also in the referendum on the withdrawal of the Russian military.

‘In the first years of Independence, the objectives of the EU and NATO membership had a universal support and total accord of political powers. This period could be called the ‘golden age’ of the domestic and foreign policy partnership. Both domestically and externally Lithuanians unanimously headed in one direction,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs P.Vaitiekūnas.

After joining the European and transatlantic structures, questions were raised about the nature of the role of Lithuania in Europe and in the world, and about further goals of Lithuania, when it could apply the EU and NATO instruments. Therefore, Lithuania has entered into a qualitatively new stage of formation of foreign policy objectives for the Lithuanian state.

‘By determining our place in Europe and in the world, and indicating guidelines for foreign policy, we should estimate the choice of possibilities and should take into consideration the global international context, as well as the main actors on the foreign policy stage,’ said P.Vatiekūnas,

One of the major goals of this millennium is to seek to integrate such foreign policy actors as Europe, the U.S.A and Russia into one civilisation. In this particular case, Lithuania can assume an important role in helping the neighbours in the East to accept European values.