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On 24 August, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Mantvydas Bekešius received the outgoing head of the Canadian Embassy Office in Vilnius Jeanette Adele Stovel. Lithuania’s Foreign Vice-Minister thanked the diplomat for her personal contribution to the development of bilateral relations between Lithuania and Canada. The officials discussed bilateral cooperation, security situation in the region, cooperation in the framework of NATO and other multilateral forums, as well as development cooperation issues.

In the meeting, Lithuania’s Foreign Vice-Minister stressed the importance of the transatlantic relationship and expressed his gratitude for Canada’s financial support for the Vilnius-based NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence and for commitments undertaken by Canada with respect to the Baltic region at this year’s NATO Summit. “We thank Canada for its significant contribution to the strengthening of security in the region and for taking a leadership role in establishing one of the battle group formations in the Baltic states,” said Bekešius.

“It is symbolic that in these days we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Canada. We are glad that Canada has never recognized the annexation and forcible incorporation of Lithuania and other Baltic states into the Soviet Union,” said the Vice-Minister.

Bekešius also recalled that a sculpture, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the re-establishment of Lithuania-Canada diplomatic relations, was unveiled at Vilnius University Botanical Garden in Kairėnai on 11 August. The Canadian Embassy Office in Vilnius, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Lithuanian Armed Forces and Vilnius University Botanical Garden in Kairėnai implemented this joint project to mark 25 years of strong and sustainable relations between Lithuania and Canada.

The Canadian diplomat expressed her gladness that her three-year term in office was marked by the implementation of many  projects, which were important for Lithuania, and that Lithuania had decisively undertaken steps to strengthen its own security in a changed security environment. The diplomat also noted that Canada had always been and would remain a loyal ally of Lithuania, committed and undertaking a responsibility to help ensure the country’s security.

Jeanette Adele Stovel is a career diplomat. She has served as the head of the mission in Lithuania since September 2013. The Canadian Embassy to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia was established on 4 September 1993 in Rīga. The Canadian Embassy Office in Vilnius was set up on 15 January 1992.

On 26 August 1991, Canada recognized the restoration of Lithuania’s independence. Lithuania and Canada re-established diplomatic relations on 2 September 1991.