News

On 28 August in Vilnius at the Foreign Policy Forum discussion “Lithuania and the New Transatlantic Agenda”, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas presented provisions regarding Lithuania’s diplomatic relations with the U.S.A. The Minister stressed that the relations between Lithuania and the U.S.A. were being developed on a firm basis of values and people-to-people ties.

“Lithuania and the U.S.A. are linked by an active, almost a million-strong Lithuanian community and shared values, based on the principles of freedom, independence and historical justice,” said V.Ušackas.

The Minister reminded the participants of the discussion that the U.S. policy of non-recognition of the occupation of Lithuania had been marked during the annual Captive Nations Week since 1953. According to the Minister, the Lithuanian tricolour that flew at the U.S. Department of State and Lithuania’s diplomatic representation in the 16th Street in Washington, DC, that was never closed, are the best examples of the U.S. policy of values.

According to head of Lithuania’s diplomacy, the U.S. Administration continued this policy after Lithuania re-established its independence: the U.S.A. contributed to the consolidation of institutional and democratic basis for the State of Lithuania, the strengthening of the system of the National Defence and Lithuania’s diplomatic service.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the U.S. policy helped Lithuania to become a member of world’s strongest democratic organisations: NATO and the EU.

V.Ušackas spoke up for further development of relations with the U.S.A., as the new agenda has to strengthen the cooperation based on values.

According to the Minister, one of the most important tasks during this economic recession is to guarantee an open and dynamic free trade.

The Minister also expressed Lithuania’s interest to cooperate with the U.S.A. aiming at the diversification of energy resources, strengthening of the Alliance, creation of a neighbourhood that would be stable and based on the rule of law, development of a constructive and principled cooperation with Russia.

During the event, the Minister welcomed a recently established Foreign Policy Forum and wished it to become an event for speaking out different opinions and for expression of interest groups.

The country’s politicians, diplomats, businessmen, political analysts, foreign guests – the Executive Director of the Brussels-based Transatlantic Center and responsible for Strategic Planning at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. Ronald D. Asmus and representative of the Baltic States to NATO’s group of ‘Wise Men’ Aivis Ronis - are taking part in the event.