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On 27 June, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis delivered a speech at the round table discussion “Lithuania’s Mission in the European Union: What the European Policy of Lithuania Should Be?” in “Reval Hotel Lietuva” in Vilnius attended by the country’s politicians, diplomats and members of the academic society. The Foreign Minister pointed out that the mission of Lithuania in Europe first of all should be consistent, purposeful and based on particular political and economic interests. “Now that we have consolidated our strivings to Europe by concentrated efforts and measures of the foreign policy, it is necessary to ensure the continuity of representing our interests in the EU Intergovernmental Conference that will begin in October, and later on – by involving directly into discussions on the new EU budget”, Minister Valionis said. Chief of the Lithuanian Diplomacy indicated that the gradually developing Lithuania’s European Policy was not and would not be static. Even though the accession negotiations came to an end, the European multilateral negotiations in Brussels and other 24 European capitals intensify. “The diplomatic service will remain a major tool, and diplomatic negotiations – a major concept in making alliances on constitutional, political, economic and financial issues in the European Union”, - the Minister stated. Minister Valionis named the external and internal security of the state and ensuring the economic welfare of the Lithuanian citizens as key principles of Lithuania’s European Policy. The Minister identified the perspective of 2005-2007 to join the Schengen Agreement and the European Monetary Union, the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, the necessity to participate actively in the EU-Russia dialogue on energy and the merger of the EU and Baltic networks of transport and energy infrastructure as the nearest objectives. The Minister also accentuated the specific task awaiting Lithuania determined by its geopolitical situation, i.e. the duty to protect the part of the EU external border that goes along the border of our state.