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At the 15th Baltic Council in the Seimas (Parliament) on 27 November, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas summarized the results of the cooperation of the Baltic States and discussed common future challenges. “A long-term Economic Development Strategy for the Baltic States should be based on our vision as part of the Baltic Sea region with the population of 150 million people and not just on the vision of the 7 million people in the three Baltic States. I trust that this would help our countries to become visible players on the global economic scene,” Minister V.Ušackas said.

The Minister also listed the priorities of the cooperation of the Baltic States in the future. According to him, firstly, the energy independence has to be granted, as there is a need to implement the approved Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan and to establish the common Baltic electricity market until 2013. Secondly, the Baltic States need to increase energy efficiency and the renewable energy development.

On 21 April 2010, the tenth anniversary of the Vilnius Ten will be marked. Lithuanian, Estonian and Latvian foreign ministers jointly agreed that on this occasion foreign ministers of NATO member states and the Alliance’s candidate countries would be invited to Vilnius to discuss the new NATO Strategic Concept and to note the importance of the continuity of NATO enlargement for the spread of freedom and democracy.

According to the Minister, it is also important to make joint effort to expand the space of stability, security and democracy in the Eastern neighbourhood.

“The independence, security and stability of Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and other countries of the Eastern Partnership set up the precondition for the security and stability in the entire Europe, not just in the three Baltic States. Our support to these countries is based on the synthesis of pragmatic interests, freedom and democracy values,” the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy said.

According to the Minister, common values and the history of our nations obliges us to foster the principles of democracy, independence, the rule of law, free market and free trade.

“We are on the eve of important geopolitical changes, as the Treaty of Lisbon will come into force on 1 December, and the new NATO Strategic Concept is being prepared. In this context, I consider as our duty and mission to assist other countries that are implementing reforms to make steps towards the membership in the Euro-Atlantic family,” Minister V.Ušackas said.