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Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis says, that the country’s key interests during the Belgian Presidency of the European Union are the following: the EU's ambitious new energy strategy for 2011-2020 that would provide realistic tools for eliminating obstacles to the functioning of a common EU energy market, and a coordinated external energy policy. The minister highlighted this on 26 July in Brussels, at the session of the European Union’s General Affairs Council.

At the session, head of Lithuania’s diplomacy expressed support to the priorities of the Belgian EU Presidency and stressed the economic issues that are the most important for Lithuania.

“In the context of the implementation of the EU 2020 strategy, the EU-level tools for eliminating obstacles to economy growth, including the internal market and infrastructure, are particularly important for Lithuania,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.

The EU General Affairs Council also adopted a decision establishing the European External Action Service and approved a framework for negotiations with Iceland on its accession to the EU. Lithuania aims to have the European External Action Service functioning as of the beginning of 2011, just as planned.

In Brussels, Minister A.Ažubalis welcomed the opening of Iceland’s EU accession negotiations and highlighted that Lithuania had consistently supported the country’s EU membership and that the decision to open negotiations with Reykjavik was beneficial also to other countries, seeking membership in the EU.

The ministers also discussed the preparations for the European Council meeting on 16 September, which will focus on the EU relations with strategic partners and on the economic policy coordination among the EU member states.