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On 7 April, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas, who is paying an official visit to Azerbaijan, was received by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov. During the meetings, possibilities to develop bilateral relations, the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, important issues of energy security, regional and international policy were discussed. V.Ušackas encouraged Azerbaijan to benefit from the new EU Eastern Partnership initiative and to continue implementing reforms in the country.

“We are ready to help you to gain from the advantages of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, seeking for free trade with the EU and a facilitated visa regime between the EU and Azerbaijan. Lithuania is prepared to share its experience in implementation of reforms,” Minister V.Ušackas emphasized during the meeting.

Minister was positive about the cooperation between Lithuania and Azerbaijan in this area: the implementation of even two projects of the EU’s Twinning programme starts this year, as Lithuanian institutions won the right to implement these projects. Therefore, the Parliament of Lithuania will share its experience with the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Məclisi), while Special Investigation Service of the Lithuania will cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan.

Foreign Ministers of Lithuania and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of regarding the political dialogue and enhancement of cooperation. The Ministers also discussed possibilities to implement joint social and infrastructure projects in Ghor Province, Afghanistan.

Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs invited Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov to pay an official visit to Lithuania. Head of the Lithuanian diplomacy presented his Azerbaijani counterpart with the sculpture of an angel to the city of Baku from the national programme “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009”, as Baku is “The Capital of Islamic Culture” for this year.

At the inauguration of the Lithuanian-Azerbaijani Business Forum, Minister V.Ušackas expressed satisfaction at the economic relations between the two countries that were intensifying, encouraged to cooperate more actively and invited Azerbaijani businessmen to invest in Lithuania.

Representatives from over 20 Lithuanian enterprises are taking part in the Business Forum. Participants of the Forum will officially open the Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce in Baku.

In Baku, Minister V.Ušackas also met with Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Məclisi) Ogtay Asadov and Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev.  

On 8 April, the Minister will be received by Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry and Energy. V.Ušackas will give a lecture called “Lithuania and Azerbaijan: Eastern Partnership from the Caspian to the Baltic” at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, he will attend a musical concert of talented young Lithuanians that are supported by the Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation. The concert will take place at Baku Philharmonic.