Lituanica

The BNS reported that, as Lithuanian diplomats spoke up about attempts launched by some countries to revise agreements reached by four foreign ministers in Vilnius over the negotiations mandate on the European Union (EU) - Russia Strategic Partnership Agreement, Foreign Minister Vaitiekunas repeated that Lithuania is not going to back down on fundamental issues.

Lithuania blocked the commencement of talks with Russia, proposing to include four declarations in the negotiations mandate, i.e. the issue of cut-off oil supply via the Druzhba pipeline, the necessity to deal with frozen conflicts in Georgia and Moldova, cooperation in solving occurrences of Jan. 13th and the Medininkai massacre as well as support for exiled persons, who are returning to the Baltic States.

Foreign ministers of Lithuania, Sweden, Poland and current EU presidency holder Slovenia, decided in a meeting in Vilnius on May 11 to include issues brought up by Lithuania to be included in talks with Russia, however this agreement was not endorsed by ambassadors of EU member states in a meeting Tuesday. Ambassadors plan to continue discussions next week.

A Lithuanian diplomat announced this information to BNS May 14 that;”We eliminate such attempts. If they will continue, the mandate might not be approved by May 26 (GAERC)”.

Following a meeting with Lithuanian President Adamkus on 14 May, Vaitiekunas told the press of having informed the Head-of-State of receiving a few proposals by various countries with regards to the negotiations mandate, and they are currently being considered.

“A wide arsenal of different versions of what shape our answers might take is available, and they are currently being coordinated through diplomatic channels, however, when it comes to the main, primary, fundamental issues of Lithuania’s interests, we are not going to back down. (…) We are risking European solidarity”, the foreign minister asserted.

According to the BNS he also noted that the new proposals are most concerned with the issue of frozen conflicts and added that he can reveal neither who is making the proposals, nor what matter they concern.

“In general terms, I am telling you that yes, the main question under revision, is that of frozen conflicts, a declaration on frozen conflicts. Countries stand on different grounds when it comes to geographical and geopolitical positions. Take the United Kingdom, Spain, France - their interests are different and we are simply defending our interests by assuming this position here and now. The EU will have to go a long way in order to learn how to reflect interests unanimously and speak with one voice”, Vaitiekunas explained, noting that an acceptable compromise will be sought out on the issue.

The BNS writes that the minister also noted that he cannot yet reveal what form Lithuania’s demands should take on in the mandate, and in what phrasing should it appear. The minister said that this would mean having to reveal stances on the negotiations mandate and would therefore make them less efficient.

Source BNS

Lithuania was the sole of 27 EU member states, represented in the European Union’s (EU) General Affairs and External Relations Council’s (GAERC) session in Luxembourg last week to dissent to the proposal to begin talks with Russia over the new partnership agreement.

The countries decided that EU-presidency holder Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel arrived to Vilnius to further harmonize stances on the issue.  Amongst those who arrived to Vilnius were the Swedish and Polish Ministers of Foreign affairs.  However, another issue for the Lithuanians was of another importance, expression of support to Georgia.  The plan was that all ministers should visit Tbilisi on Monday and show their support to Georgia.

However, the Lithuanian diplomats had have heard a warning from Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel that he would accompany his Lithuanian, Polish and Swedish colleagues to Georgia only if Lithuania abandoned its proposals to the mandate of strategic talks between the European Union and Russia.  An anonymous Lithuanian diplomat expressed his disappointment by saying “How can one propose such exchange? It is incomprehensible whether the proposal from the European Union’s presiding country Slovenia indicates the entire EU’s stance on Georgia or is it a lame Slovenian proposal aimed at forcing Lithuania to give up its legitimate requirements in the discussion of the negotiating position of the EU-Russian strategic partnership agreement”.

However, after discussion in the Stikliai hotel the Lithuanians claimed that the EU had agreed with all Lithuanian propositions with some amendments.  The Lithuanian FM stated that the EU solidarity exists not only in declarations but also in reality.  Still he remained that the positions will have to be agreed with the other 23 Member States.  The Slovenian MF noted in the press conference that: ‘All Europeans States and the EU Members understand Lithuanian position.  And I can easy tell that I understand the Lithuanian concerns’.  So, what are those demands?

As Lietuvos Rytas daily wrote last week, Lithuania decided not to approve the mandate for the EU-Russia negotiations until this mandate reflects Lithuania’s interests. This was the first time Lithuania has dared to fight for its interests in the EU with such fervour.

Vilnius demands to add to the energy declaration Russia’s commitment to observe the requirements provided for in the Energy Charter Agreement.

Moreover, Lithuania wanted the EU negotiations mandate to include the point that Russia should cooperate more actively in the field of renewing delivery of crude oil via the Friendship (Druzhba) Pipeline. This pipeline was closed in 2006 for “political repairs.”

As the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign affairs noted “Druzhba was cut off without an explanation. (…) We are worried that Russia is creating a precedent. Energy security and creating a precedent are issues of interest to the EU. This is not a bipartite issue. And we believe that the question of a precedent, and of how far one can go in not cooperating with one EU state is important to the entire EU as well. We have an alternative for Druzhba, but not one for gas”.

Lithuania also noted that Russia’s attitude toward its neighbours is related to the security of Lithuania and the entire EU. This is why Lithuania proposes a declaration on Georgia and Moldova.

Moreover, Lithuania would like to have a declaration on legal cooperation, which should promote constructive cooperation in the investigations of the 13 January 1991 events in Vilnius and the 31 July 1991 massacre in Medininkai, as well as of the disappearance of EU citizens in Russia.  There is also an ongoing case of disappearance of Lithuanian businessmen Mr Jucys in Kaliningrad a year ago.

Lithuanian is also seeking to add an additional declaration to the negotiations mandate to compensate for the damages incurred by the persons deported from the occupied Baltic countries. Ensuring such support to the deported persons was one of the international commitments Russia undertook when it joined the Council of Europe.

Lithuania does not impose demands on Russia. It urges the EU to protect Lithuania’s interests, the same way it protects the interests of other EU members.  Lithuania is not trying to change Russia, it is impossible, it simply tries to change the EU attitude towards Russia, in sake of the EU.

The another point is that Lithuania is a Member State, the same as Germany, France, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Poland or Ireland who are also defending their interests by blocking decision making.  However, Lithuania is standing not only for the ‘meet’ as the Poles did, but for the values of justice.

Lets see how it will go.

The Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus gave an interview to the Swedish National Radio SR.

As the President’s press office announced the Vilnius Energy Security Conference 2007: Responsible Energy for Responsible Partners held on 10-11 October 2007 is broadcasted live by Internet via Windows Media and RealMedia. 

Lithuanian PM Kirkilas Russian told to the National Radio that President Vladimir Putin is aiming to downplay the international Vilnius energy forum by inviting his French counterpart to Moscow during the event, says.

“This is the second part of the event. The first took place in Krakow in spring, and Russia’s behaviour was similar then. It is doing the same thing this time - aims to downplay the event. I am convinced that our president will speak with the French president who is in support of our event. Russia’s attempts to destroy it can only be regretted. Especially since Russia was also invited to the energy meeting”.

President Putin ignored the invitation to participate in the event, delegating Ambassador Boris Tsepov.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice rejected the invitation to Vilnius due to plans to travel to Russia.

As the BNS informed seven presidents, 12 ministers, top-ranking officials of the United States and the European Union (EU), as well as experts and representatives of energy companies will gather in Vilnius later this week to discuss global energy security and search for the framework for EU external energy policy.

Presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Latvia, Romania and Ukraine, EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, US Deputy Energy Secretary Clay Sell, representatives of governments of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Spain, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey and Bayrammyrat Myradov, executive director of Turkmenistan’s presidential state agency for management and use of hydrocarbon resources, will participate in the conference - the Vilnius Energy Security Conference 2007: Responsible Energy for Responsible Partners - in the Lithuanian capital on Wednesday and Thursday.

French President Nicolas Sarcozy will not attend the event because he will be visiting Russia on these days. Russia delegated Ambassador Boris Tsepov despite the fact that the invitation was sent to President Vladimir Putin.

Agenda of the two-day conference organized by Lithuanian and Polish presidents, Valdas Adamkus and Lech Kaczynski, includes signing of two five-country agreements concerning cooperation among companies and ministries of Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Georgia implementing the project of the pipeline Odessa-Brody-Plotsk-Gdansk.

It is expected to be the last step for launching the alternative project to Russia’s oil supply. Odessa-Brody-Plotsk-Gdansk is planned to be the first pipeline to link the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea regions with countries of the Baltic Sea region and become the new way of oil transit to Europe.

As the Lithuanian presidents office announced Lithuanian and French Presidents had a telephone conversation October 5.  The French President Nikolas Sarkozy regretted that he would not be able take part in the Energy Security Conference in Vilnius next week, saying that the initiative to discuss topical energy issues is welcome and particularly timely.

At the international conference, France will be represented by Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development and Planning Jean-Louis Borloo, the second-highest governmental official.Adamkus pointed out that the Vilnius Energy Summit would focus on the European Union’s (EU) internal and external energy policy and be attended by many leaders from the Caspian Sea region and high-ranking ministers from European countries. The presidential press service said that France’s Sarkozy informed Adamkus about his visit to Russia next week.

According to the Press Release Adamkus said that Lithuania aimed to maintain constructive relations with Russia but encountered many problems, which cast a shadow on bilateral relations. The Lithuanian president noted that no serious attempts had been made to deal with the stoppage of oil supplies to Lithuania via the Druzhba pipeline. In his words, Lithuania no longer received any information about future pipeline repairs, while all related problems were being explained referring to business reasons.Sarkozy said that France supported Lithuania and its position.

France is very actively trying to persuade Lithuania to use its expertise in building the New Nuclear Plant in Ignalina.      

As the BNS reported some fans of Lithuanian basketball team suffered right before the match of Lithuania and France in Madrid. Fans of the Lithuanian team and the police officers pushed each other near entrance to the arena on Monday night.One of the Lithuanian fans suffered during the incident, he was taken to the police commissariat with handcuffs and beat-in head. As the agency informed  according to primary data, the incident arose when one of Lithuanian fans tried to bring Lithuanian flag with long handle into the arena. Guards of the Spanish arena forbade that and they tried to solve the problem by cutting the flag, Lithuanians resisted it. Additional force came for suppression of the indignant Lithuanians, they started beating Lithuanians with rubber sticks.According to the report, Lithuanian women also got several beats of the officers.

However, the Lithuanian Ambassador confirmed that both, Lithuanians and the Madrid police are presenting the different sides to the same story.Some of the Lithuanian basketball fans gathered in the front of the Spanish embassy in Vilnius to protest against detention of on the most known Lithuanian basketball fan Sekla, at the incident scene.  The Lithuanian might face a penalty of 1.000 Euro or even more serious concequencies.

As the BNS reported according to the information available to the ambassador, observation cameras are installed in the incident location, so it will not be difficult to find out the truth. On Tuesday, Spanish court will decide how to punish the fan detained, diplomats of Lithuanian embassy to Spain will also attend the hearings.Lithuania’s attaché in Spain Mindaugas Gabrenas informed BNS that Balaisis detained by the police is accused of resisting to the police officer and will probably be implied a fine. “A stepped-up trial will take place this morning, I will also go to it and I also will be the interpreter in the process. A lawyer has been appointed for the Lithuanian, we expect to finish it today,” Gabrenas told BNS.

In his words, more Lithuanians experienced troubles during the incident on Monday.

“They all feel hurt morally, but I myself saw two people who suffered physically: lightly injured detainee and one girl. We went to a hospital with her yesterday at midnight, she asked for medical examination, today we have plans to apply to the police because of bodily injuries,” the diplomat said. In his words, there are different versions of the incident. “The media says one, the fans another, the police has the third version and all the versions are different. As far as I understood, the incident arose because of a try to bring in a flag with stem, even though it is forbidden to bring such things into arena. The police tried to take off the stem, the flag kind of was torn, I cannot say it exactly because I did not see the flag. Then the conflict arose and spread into other locations of the arena. Additional police forces were brought, the most aggressive our fans were dispersed and calmed down,” Gabrenas said.Still, the Lithuanian team won the match against French with a result 88:73 and has no losses in the European Championship

France has one more reason to mend relations to Lithuania.  It is not a secret that the main purpose of the visit of the French minister was the planned new Nuclear Plant in Lithuania.  As the minister confirmed again, the French companies will seek to take part in building a new nuclear power plant.

As the BNS informed during a press conference on 6^th of September, the minister said that French companies will work to become parties in the project and that France was prepared to help build the nuclear power plant.

He also said that they have huge experience in this area and are therefore ready to cooperate with the Lithuanian authorities.In his words, France is prepared to cooperate with the authorities in Lithuania both in building the new nuclear power plant and in connecting the Polish-Lithuanian power grids and constructing gas and oil pipelines.

 
French Minister of State for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet is paying an official visit to Lithuania.  Since the famous remarks by the previous French President about the New Member States’ ‘lost opportunity to shut up’ the damage has never been mended yet.

There were few visits on the ministerial level since but this is the first official visit after the Presidential election in France.

Sarkozy victory was met with a big relief in Vilnius, since it is essential for Lithuania that Europe, and France, keep the trans Atlantic link alive.  The latest Sarkozy holidays in the USA only confirmed this.

However, the President’s palace press office announced at the meeting President underlined that relations between Lithuania and France had always been intensive and friendly. “Our nations feel mutual sympathy, and Lithuanians are particularly interested in the French language and culture,” said the Lithuanian President.

Jean-Pierre Jouyet noted that France and its President Nicolas Sarkozy wanted to ensure a more intensive cooperation with the Central and Eastern European countries, especially with Lithuania as one of the region leaders and an expert of good neighbourhood. The French diplomat remembered the beginning of cooperation between Valdas Adamkus and Nicolas Sarkozy in June EU Summit and thanked Mr. Adamkus for his significant input in negotiations on the EU reform treaty. “I believe that an excellent start of joint work will grow into a close partnership in solving the EU issues and working together for the sake of the EU unity, solidarity and intensive and friendly relations with neighbours,” said Jean-Pierre Jouyet. He underlined that this was the reason why President Sarkozy asked him to visit Vilnius.

The Lithuanian President said that Lithuania hoped that France would pay bigger attention to the region and the EU neighbours in the East. “Our joint work for the sake of Europe was clearly visible in the last European Council Summit, therefore, I am convinced that Lithuania and France will continue their cooperation. I believe that France’s presidency to the EU in the second half of 2008 will largely contribute to the creation of economically strong and active Europe and effective European neighborhood policy. Today, Europe needs unity and solidarity especially in the energy policy, also, it needs to speak in one voice with Russia,” said Mr. Adamkus.

The French diplomat assured the Head of State that according to the new President of France there was no division between old or new EU member states – all members create one Europe. Therefore France was prepared to work for the sake of everybody. Speaking about relations between the EU and its external partners and neighbors, Jean-Pierre Jouyet underlined that France maintained an attitude that ‘external partners must treat all EU members equally.’

At the meeting, President Valdas Adamkus and Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet also talked about the importance of improving bilateral economic relations, new energy projects in the region and cooperation in the area of nuclear energy, relations between the EU and Russia as well as other current issues of the EU agenda. Mr. Adamkus also noted that Lithuania together with Poland were organizing a summit on the European energetic security, therefore, France’s participation on the highest level was particularly important for the event and the whole region.

I would like to add that there is a significant link between the building of the Presidential palace in Vilnius and Paris.  The Emperor Napoleon himself staid in the building for a week during his Eastern Campaign towards Russia.