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After taking an oath at the Seimas (Parliament) on 11 February, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis had telephone conversations with foreign ministers of neighbouring countries and heads of international organizations, and discussed further cooperation and important issues of international policy.

During the conversation with Foreign Minister of the Spain Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Minister A.Ažubalis welcomed the ambitious programme of the current Spanish EU Presidency, which includes such priorities as energy security, furthering economic growth, the EU budget review and the Eastern Partnership initiative.

According to Minister A.Ažubalis, the success of the Eastern Partnership initiative will largely depend on the solution of issues related to Spain’s proposals concerning a visa-free regime. Therefore, the EU has to discuss these issues in detail.

Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed Lithuania’s interest to actively contribute to the building of the EU’s external energy policy and to the implementation of the Eastern Partnership initiative.

Minister A.Ažubalis discussed energy security, Lithuania’s participation in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and preparation of NATO's new Strategic Concept with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who congratulated Lithuania’s new head of diplomacy by telephone on 11 February.

According to the Minister, Lithuania will continue to make every effort to contribute to guaranteeing security and the reconstruction of the state of Afghanistan, as well as it will lead the Ghor Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Minister A.Ažubalis stated that he was ready to closely cooperate in developing the Alliance’s Strategic Concept, which would foresee a response to today’s threats to the security of NATO member states and global security.

A.F.Rasmussen invited Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to pay a visit to NATO Headquarters in Brussels in the nearest future.

Lithuania‘s preparations to chair the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was discussed with THE Secretary General of the organization Marc Perrin de Brichambaut. According to Minister A.Ažubalis, in order to prepare in the best way, Lithuania is interested in close cooperation and in exchange of information with the OSCE Secretariat. The Minister indicated that Lithuania would aim to maintain the role of the OSCE in international relations and would continue to strengthen this role.

On 11 February, Minister A.Ažubalis also had telephone conversations with foreign ministers of the following countries: Azerbaijan, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the U.S.A.