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On 11 May in Vilnius, Undersecretary of Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Laimonas Talat-Kelpša in the international business and investment conference ‘The Lithuania Business and Investment Summit’ welcomed the Lithuanian export growth and indicated that this growth was one of the driving forces behind Lithuania’s economic development.

According to the Undersecretary of the Ministry, besides the traditional markets in the EU and the Baltic Sea region, Eastern markets have recently become a major target of Lithuanian business. Last year alone, Lithuania’s exports to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus have grown by 40 percent on average each.

‘The task of our diplomacy is to support and encourage these trends. We do that directly by helping our businessmen, and indirectly by promoting constructive relations with our partners in the region and in the East,’ said Undersecretary of the Ministry L.Talat-Kelpša stressing the significance of the economic diplomacy.

According to Undersecretary of the Ministry L.Talat-Kelpša, Lithuania has gained valuable working experience in the Eastern European market. Our businessmen know the inherent market risks in the Eastern countries.

L.Talat-Kelpša highlighted that the membership of such countries as Russia or Ukraine in the World Trade Organizations would save us from unnecessary trade disputes and various discriminative actions and enhance the atmosphere of transparency in our relations.

‘We support efforts of Russia and Ukraine to join the WTO. We also hope that Belarus will catch up with this trend,’ spoke L.Talat-Kelpša.

Speaking of the EU Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan, the Undersecretary of the Ministry stressed that the plan included instruments of promoting transparency and clear business rules in the East. Such action plans are provided for Moldova and South Caucasus countries. The instruments, according to words of Mr Talat-Kelpša, shall create necessary preconditions for further development of the EU relations with those countries, free trade and integration.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry also mentioned business opportunities in Belarus, the significance of preservation of business-to-business and people-to-people contacts after Lithuania’s accession to the Schengen zone. L.Talat-Kelpša said that Lithuania was also interested in the social and economic progress of the Kaliningrad Region of Russia.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry said that attracting foreign investment to Lithuania was one of the top priorities of the country. The financial funds, which became available upon Lithuania’s accession to the European Union, should help Lithuania to attract new technologies and build a modern knowledge-based economy.

‘Our goal is modern and competitive Lithuania, which not only has successfully integrated with the EU and NATO but also plays an active role in these structures,’ said L.Talat-Kelpša.