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24 May, 2004 Vilnius UniversityDear Rector, Dear Mr. President, Honourable guests, Dear youth, Ladies and gentlemen, It is symbolic that today, when the euphoria of accession to the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has gone, we have gathered to discuss a new conception of the Lithuanian foreign policy precisely here – at the Vilnius University. At our university, one of the oldest in Europe, the birthplace of the most innovative and daring ideas since its very establishment. It is also symbolic that not only Albertas Vijūkas-Kojelavičius, the author of the first history of Lithuania, and Simonas Daukantas, who was the first to write it in the Lithuanian language, studied at this university, but the majority of the lecturers and participants of this conference as well. Today, here, at the historical centre of Lithuania’s science and culture, we will try to visualise together, what the new page of Lithuanian history will be like. To define a new doctrine of the Lithuanian foreign policy is an ambitious, but necessary task. During the fourteen years of our independence, we have created a firm foundation for our state. All together we have been building Lithuania like our own home – everybody laying a brick, and contributing as much as one can. Now that we have congratulated each other on the membership in the European Union and NATO, we should open up more widely to the world. We must find together an answer to the question ‘How will we live from now on?’ Ladies and gentlemen, The strive to create a new conception of the Lithuanian foreign policy is not new. President Valdas Adamkus and other politicians have spoken of it. Almost a year ago, a working group was formed under the ordinance of Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Algirdas Brazauskas, which developed a draft conception of the Lithuanian foreign policy after the country’s accession to the European Union and NATO. This ordinance gave an impulse to listen to, accumulate and summarise the ideas and visions of politicians, academic society, diplomats and all other people. We have started creating a picture out of fragmentary parts, but not a picture of Lithuania’s “little world”, but one of Lithuania in the world. Ideas discussed at the backstage of politics for several years have consistently developed into a clear concept. I want to believe that this concept will become a landmark of our life after five, ten or twenty years. I am convinced that a state is strong as much as strong are its citizens, their self-esteem, desire to create the welfare of their own, their community, their state and the entire world. People really trust and cherish values, when the values are acceptable for the majority, known and comprehensible to everybody. Thus, it is very important that we - diplomats, politicians and scientists, working on the new doctrine of the Lithuanian foreign policy - would not retreat to a closed circle. We should pave our common way together with all the citizens of the Lithuanian state. In such a small country like Lithuania, every citizen’s will to participate in the state’s life, every citizen’s trust in the state and personal responsibility should be encouraged. I believe that this conference will help to involve Lithuania’s society as well as Lithuanian emigrants into discussions on what Lithuania’s – our state’s – foreign policy is and should be. I think that the policy should be comprehensible to all or at least the majority of Lithuania’s citizens. Comprehensible not only to the students participating in this conference, but also to their parents in Radviliškis, Kražiai, Širvintos… I would like that the discussion on the new Lithuania’s foreign policy would not end with this conference. I think that as many Lithuanian citizens as possible should express their opinion on the trends of the Lithuanian foreign policy. You may ask what the way to achieve that is. The framework of the new Lithuanian foreign policy set by the President will be announced in the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also, a web forum will be opened, where at least a part of Lithuania’s society and representatives of the emigration will have an opportunity to express their opinion, remarks and forward suggestions. This way, we will implement in reality and not just in declarations a simple, but often mystified principle of openness in the foreign policy. By the way, the outline of the Canadian foreign policy conception developed out of Internet discussion, and only later the expressed opinions acquired political and academic framework. And now, all of you will have an opportunity to listen to the outline of the new Lithuania’s foreign policy doctrine, which will be presented to you by Lithuania’s Acting President Artūras Paulauskas. It is only natural that some listeners will approve it, while others will contradict or completely disagree. Ladies and gentlemen, Lithuania enjoys success, when the society approves aspirations of politicians and the Government’s actions, when there is a consensus among the country’s main political powers, as well as self-determination of the nation’s representatives in the Seimas (Parliament). It is not a secret that politicians often dispute, while adopting decisions or creating a vision of the future. But we can stand united at the moments of the greatest significance to the country or when adopting the most important decisions. Let us say, at the meeting of representatives of the political parties, nominating their candidates to the European Parliament, which took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week, it was agreed on the main objectives of Lithuania, to achieve which the unity of the European Parliament’s members from Lithuania is of extreme importance. Even if this conference will not reach a common consensus, it is only for the best. Critical observations, disputes and generating of ideas are really necessary. In order to reach an agreement, a hot, sharp and most importantly open discussion is needed. And this is what I wish you. UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION