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Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister visits Lithuania

On May 24, the Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Radojko Bogojevic visited Vilnius, where he met the Lithuanian Foreign Minister and Deputy Minister to discuss the international problems and possible bilateral cooperation. During the meeting with the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis, perspectives of bilateral cooperation, legal issues and Lithuania's upcoming presidency of the Council of Europe were discussed. Lithuanian and Yugoslav officials also exchanged views on the integration of Lithuania into the EU and NATO. The Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister briefed Lithuanian diplomats on the relationship of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with neighbouring countries and the situation in the Balkans. Bogojevic also said that Yugoslavia intended to join the Council of Europe during Lithuania's presidency (from November 2001 till May 2002). Bogojevic passed on to Foreign Minister Valionis an invitation from the Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic to visit Yugoslavia. During the meeting of the Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Evaldas Ignatavičius with the Yugoslav Deputy Minister it was agreed that a delegation of Lithuanian industrialists could accompany the Lithuanian Foreign Minister in his visit to Yugoslavia. It was stressed that the Lithuanian National Road Carriers' Association "Linava" had experience in the Balkans. Ignatavičius said that Lithuania was ready to send high-quality construction materials to Yugoslavia and the Lithuanian road builders were interested in opportunities to cooperate and work by contract in Yugoslavia. Diplomats from both sides noted that there were no agreements between Lithuania and Yugoslavia and that was posing problems. Ignatavičius and Bogojevic exchanged draft agreements, including on the avoidance of double taxation, on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments and cooperation in the fields of education, culture and sports. The Yugoslav diplomat told Ignatavičius that the model of Lithuania's good relations with her neighbours could be transferred to the Balkans. Bogojevic added that the priorities of the Yugoslav foreign policy are Yugoslavia's reintegration with Europe, good relations with neighbours, joining the Council of Europe and NATO's Partnership for Peace program. This is the first official visit by a Yugoslav official after Lithuania and Yugoslavia opened diplomatic relations in December 2000.