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On 13 June during Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in Malmö, Sweden, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas discussed possibilities for strengthening cooperation among the  Baltic Sea States, increase the competitiveness of the region, promote development of projects of importance to the region.

“In the last 15 years economic development in our region has been very successful. I think, that currently every member of the organisation is able and ready to contribute to tackling important environment, healthcare, migration, energy, transport and other common regional issues,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister stated.

The Head of Lithuanian Diplomacy noted that the structure of the CBSS should be reformed, adapted to today’s requirements and stressed that the CBSS is significant as a unique organisation where all 11 states of the region are equally participating and where EU Members, Norway, Iceland and Russia work together. According to the Minister, the equality principle adds value to the CBSS.

Minister P. Vaitiekūnas also remarked that the CBSS helped the Baltic States and Poland in their integration into the European Union, in building and strengthening EU-Russia relations in different areas, particularly in settling the issues important for the Baltic Sea region.

According to Minister P. Vaitiekūnas, the Council has excellent opportunities to expand its activities to the neighbour regions and states. The Minister cited the Baltic Sea environmental problems that can not be solved without neighbour Belarus, because the greatest part of its territory belongs to the Baltic Sea basin.

The Ministers adopted joint Communication and Declaration on renewed cooperation among the Baltic Sea States. They also approved the idea of preparation of the Baltic Sea region strategy that would reflect important regional projects in environment protection, transport, energy and other spheres.

In Malmö Minister P. Vaitiekūnas also met his counterparts from Sweden and Russia and Lithuanian Honorary Consul in Malmö.

On 12 June during the bilateral meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt Lithuanian Foreign Minister P. Vaitiekūnas discussed the issues of regional cooperation, energy and EU-Russia relations.

On 13 June Minister P. Vaitiekūnas had a short meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov where important issues of bilateral cooperation were talked about.

In Malmö Minister P. Vaitiekūnas also visited the consular post headed by Lithuanian Honorary Consul in Malmö Ingmar Ingstad.