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Distinguished Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to open the 3rd convention of Honorary Consuls of Lithuania. I admire your work and would like to use this opportunity to thank you for your commitment in helping Lithuania in many of her endeavors.

I would also like to express my satisfaction that the number of Honorary Consuls of Lithuania in the world is ever growing. Your experience has and will continue to strengthen and expand Lithuania’s abilities to pursue an active foreign policy.

An active foreign policy is an absolute priority for Lithuania, a new member of the EU and NATO. As a small country, we need more visibility in global affairs. Therefore, your role as Honorary Consuls is growing.

I believe, that You, as Honorary Consuls, can significantly contribute to a brighter, more prosperous and secure future of Lithuania.

In order to go hand in hand with the changing reality, we have to be open for new developments and cope with new challenges. We have to be innovative, concentrate intellectual efforts and coordinate research and development.

Lithuania takes an active role in its own region. We have to share our experience with the countries seeking democratic development in the region and around the world. It is our essential priority to expand area of stability, good governance, rule of law, free market and democracy eastwards as a vital prerequisite for good successful development of Lithuania in long term. Only then we shall be able to ensure security, stability and the well being of our own country as well as adding to that of the whole region.

Membership in the EU and NATO has transformed Lithuania’s engagement in regional and international affairs. We joined these two organizations with a vision to become a center of regional cooperation. If Lithuania is to establish itself as such a center, we need to increase Lithuania’s profile internationally by building on the experience of the EU and NATO membership.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Lithuania’s activities should add a new value to the European identity and Euroatlantic cooperation. Promoting international peace, stability and security around the world is also a goal of Lithuania. And you are a part of this process too.

We do understand that it is not an easy task to always be hands-on, especially when your duties to Lithuania are carried out on a voluntary basis. But your work and feedback is crucial to our Ministry and Lithuania on the whole. We need it as frequent and as rich as possible. Lithuania needs your enthusiasm, your social networks and your professional skills to advance our national interests.

We encourage and highly value your initiatives in building new contacts between your countries and Lithuania in the fields of economy, culture, and education. Business and tourism are important areas which can benefit immensely from our mutual endeavour. Lithuania’s economy has been growing by 7 percent on average during the last six years. But we need more investments to make sure we continue in the same direction.  Lithuania is very much interested in discovering new markets worldwide and in paving new routs of transportation of goods between Asia and Europe. True, our market is not big, but we are the gateway to the big markets in the East and a reliable business partner for the West.

We also attach a great importance to attracting more tourists to Lithuania. Because I am a strong believer that if somebody comes to visit Lithuania once as a tourist, he or she will definitely come back again as a tourist or a business person and even bring friends and partners along. And I am sure that You will agree that Lithuania does have a lot to offer – cultural events, resorts, forests and beautiful sandy beaches.  These are only a few of attractions for tourist from busy, crowded urban areas.

Dear Honorary Consuls, with Your help we want to place Lithuania in the minds of Your compatriots as a worthy and trusted nation to do business with. 

 I thank you for your attention and I wish You fruitful and useful discussions.