News

On 23 April in Moscow, a meeting between Chief of Lithuanian Diplomacy Antanas Valionis and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov took place. In the meeting, it was stated that a decision acceptable to both sides concerning the order of transit to and from Kaliningrad was made, which would presently have to be implemented in practice. It was reiterated that the transit order to and from Kaliningrad must comply with the requirements of the European Union and the Lithuanian sovereignty. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov pointed out that the agreement achieved on the transit through Lithuania would speed up the ratification of the state border treaty. The Russian side promised to start issuing long-term free visas to the Kaliningrad Region for Lithuanian citizens in the nearest future. The signing of the readmission treaty was also discussed in the meeting. As the Russian side put it, shortly the internal procedures would be completed opening the possibility to sign the treaty. Opinions on the prospects of relations between the European Union and Russia in the light of the approaching EU-Russia Summit leaders at the end of May in St Petersburg were also exchanged in the meeting. Minister Antanas Valionis raised the issues of the Vneshekonombank’s debts, the Moscow Government’s aid to the Lithuanian school in the Russian capital, and support to the Lithuanian community in Kaliningrad. It was agreed to step up discussions on the real estate of the embassies. The socio-economical development of the Kaliningrad Region in the context of the EU was also discussed.