News

On 16 December, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs paid the first visit to the Palestinian Authority. Minister Vygaudas Ušackas met with President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki. When preparing the first visit of the member of the Lithuanian Government to the Palestinian Authority, official dialogue with the Palestinians was launched. Lithuania is interested in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and problems in the entire Middle East region.

The head of Lithuania’s diplomacy voiced a common EU position on the Middle East Peace Process that aims at a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace in the future.

President of the Palestinian Authority M.Abbas informed the Minister about the decision of the Palestinians to postpone the presidential and parliamentary elections that were scheduled for January 2010. According to President of the Palestinian Authority, it is intended to hold these elections in June 2010.

During the meeting, the cooperation between the EU and the Palestinian Authority was discussed. Head of the Lithuanian diplomacy assured that the EU was ready to further develop its relations with the Palestinian Authority, applying the existing political and legal instruments.

“We are ready to contribute to the organising of free and democratic elections in the Palestinian Authority. We want to continue the project that we started this year and to organise training before the forthcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority,” the Minister said.

In May this year, three representatives from the Palestinian Authority’s election commission visited Lithuania. They watched the presidential elections that were held at that time in Lithuania, participated in training sessions and met with representatives from Lithuanian institutions.