News

On 1 October, at the Heroes Square in Tbilisi, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas, who is paying an official visit to Georgia, commemorated the victims of Georgia’s unity and met with Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vasadze. During the meeting, Georgia’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures and Lithuania’s support to the country’s internal reforms that could ensure its independence, stability, prosperity and territorial integrity were discussed.

The meeting of Lithuania’s and Georgia’s Foreign ministers was also focused on the report revealing the reasons of Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008, drafted by a commission headed by Swiss Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini.

According to Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is an important document that will help both parties involved in the conflict - Russia and Georgia - and the international community to draw certain lessons and to avoid such conflicts in the future.

“It is a lesson for Russia, that the respect of the principles of international law is fundamental for relationship with the international community based on the mutual confidence”, V.Ušackas said.

He affirmed expecting that Russia will make responsible steps and will comply with its commitments in accordance with the agreements signed on 12 August and 8 September 2008. This would help to normalize the Georgian–Russian relations.

The Minister stressed the Lithuanian and EU support to Georgia’s security and stability, based on the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, established by international law, including the Helsinki Final Act and the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“It is also a lesson for the international community that, in order to avoid such conflicts, it is necessary to intervene before rather than after a conflict. Preventive, but not post-conflict diplomacy should remain the international community’s objective”, V.Ušackas remarked.

In his words, the international community’s involvement in the stabilization of the region is very important. The EU Monitoring Mission plays a key role and should have a free access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

“For Georgia, it is a lesson for the future. Georgia must put in practice the necessary internal reforms that would help this country to take the path of the Euro-Atlantic integration. Lithuania is ready to support Georgia in this field”, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

The concrete steps of Lithuanian support for Georgia are defined by the Lithuanian-Georgian Euro-Atlantic Integration Charter Action Plan for 2010, which was signed at the meeting by V.Ušackas and G.Vashadze.

During the two day official visit to Georgia, Minister V.Ušackas will also meet with the country’s President Mikheil Saakashvili, the opposition representatives, the staff of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, which has four representatives of Lithuania. He will also visit the administrative border with South Ossetia and will open the second Lithuanian language class in Tbilisi Municipality.