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On 17 June, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius met with New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully who is visiting Lithuania. The Foreign Ministers discussed bilateral political and economic relations, the situation in Ukraine, relations with Russia and more active cooperation between young people in the two countries.

“Lithuania and New Zealand enjoy a sincere, friendship-based relationship, which has been reinforced with our close cooperation as members of the United Nations Security Council. Today, our countries are looking for new ways to further strengthen practical cooperation through promoting both trade and more people-to-people contact. I am glad that young Lithuanians will reap the benefit of the New Zealand Working Holiday programme already next year,” said Linkevičius.

The head of New Zealand’s diplomacy announced that the agreement on the New Zealand Working Holiday programme that had been signed with Lithuania in the previous year would come into force in December, thus in the coming year Lithuanian young people aged between 18 and 30 would be given the opportunity to travel to New Zealand and undertake employment during their stay. The participants in the Working Holiday scheme are allowed to remain in New Zealand for a total of 12 months, as well as to study and work in order to supplement their travels for a total of 6 months. It is planned that 100 Lithuanian citizens will be allowed to participate in the Working Holiday scheme every year.

Linkevičius expressed support for the talks on a free trade agreement between New Zealand and the European Union, which would ensure more favourable conditions for Lithuanian businesses and would benefit Lithuanian consumers.

The Foreign Ministers also discussed the situation in Ukraine. The head of Lithuania’s diplomacy called for the consolidation of the international community in order to stop the ongoing aggression against Ukraine and to continue to urge Russia to comply with the Minsk agreements.

Linkevičius briefed New Zealand’s Foreign Minister about Lithuania’s progress in the process of accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and noted that Lithuania highly appreciated New Zealand’s friendly support in this process.

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