News

On 23 January during a visit to Portugal, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas met with Portugal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Amado and discussed bilateral cooperation, perspectives of deepening economic relations as well as possibilities to continue the exchange of experience in the areas of promoting competitiveness, science and innovations.

Minister V.Ušackas acquainted L.Amado with Lithuania’s convergence programme that was adopted on 21 January by the Lithuanian Government in 2008, which foresees the Government’s measures for preparation to join the Eurozone.

The Ministers also discussed the European Union’s economic policy under the conditions of global financial recession. Minister V.Ušackas noted that the EU Member States should immediately implement the European Commission’s suggestion to allot additional funds to the development of energy infrastructure projects, dedicating especially a lot of attention to the integration of such isolated energy markets, as those of the Baltic States, into the EU energy market.

Speaking about the important issues of international policy, the Ministers discussed the issue of closing the Guantánamo detention camp. Portugal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs presented his initiative that during the upcoming EU General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 26 January in Brussels heads of diplomacy of EU countries negotiate a common position on possible transfer of detainees to the EU.

Minister V.Ušackas approved of this suggestion, highlighting that the EU Member States had to evaluate collectively also the political, legal, financial and security aspects.

Ministers V.Ušackas and L.Amado assessed the decision of new U.S. President Barack Obama to close this detention camp as an important step towards the consolidation of the significance of the human rights principles in the international community.

Head of the Lithuanian diplomacy invited Portugal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to visit Lithuania.

During the visit, a round table discussion on the EU Eastern Partnership initiative and issues of the EU-Russia cooperation also took place. High-ranking Portuguese diplomats, political scientists and journalists took part in it.

Opening this event, Minister V.Ušackas indicated that implementation of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative would significantly contribute to consolidating the market economy and democratic reforms in the EU Eastern Neighbourhood, would stimulate economic integration of this region into the EU. Participants of the discussion drew attention to the fact that it was important for the EU to agree on common energy policy and to develop business-like relations with Russia.

Minister V.Ušackas also indicated that discussions on the evaluation of the crimes of totalitarian regimes had to continue in the EU.