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 news portal alfa.lt published an interview with Edward Lucas.  Lucas was the first foreigner to receive a Lithuanian visa after the country proclaimed its independence from the Soviet empire exactly eighteen years ago today, on March 11, 1990.

His first book, The New Cold War: How the Kremlin Menaces both Russia and the West, was launched at the beginning of February. A Lithuanian edition was released three weeks later.  Read all interview

The President of Lithuanian made a speech, during a dinner discussion on Russian and its neighbours in Davos.  The speech was made day after a controversial remark by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice  who noted  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the recent talk about a new Cold War is hyperbolic nonsense.’

President Adamkus continued that ‘It is necessary to allow Russia define the level of its global responsibility itself and accordingly to define our relations with Russia. If Russia is seeking global responsibility and a global role, there are some benchmarks to be overcome:
- to withdraw troops from Georgia and Moldova, which is foreseen under the Istanbul Agreements;
- to ratify the Energy Charter;
- to follow the promises made when joining the Council of Europe;
- to follow intergovernmental agreements with other countries, including the Baltic States.’

Read all speech also watch and listen to the speech on the YouTube.

As the BNS informed a European Parliament Member (MEP) will join the other of Lithuanian observers in Georgia’s premature presidential elections.

The largest group of observers from Lithuania will be made up of representatives of Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science (TSPMI) students, junior Social Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Lithuanian Atlantic Treaty Association and Council of Lithuanian Youth Organizations.

The Baltic States are situated next to Russia; hence this region feels the beating of the Russian bear pulse very well.  The Western Kremlinologists and the experts on Russia ridiculed those Balts who warned the West that Russia is irreversibly moving away from the liberal democracy and that Mr Putin is not a ‘democrat’.  Those warnings made only some months after Putin became the President were ignored and laughed at.  Now it is not funny any more.  Now Russia is on its route out from the Conventional Forces Europe treaty.   Hence, lets listen that some Lithuanian annalists have to say on the subject.

Five years after the final deadline that expired in 2002, Russia has not fulfilled one of the key conditions of the treaty - withdrawal of troops from Georgia and the Dnestr region in Moldova. Up until now, all NATO members held a position that they would not meet their obligation to ratify the treaty until Russia fulfils its commitments.

In August 1939, the Stalin-led Soviet Union and the Nazi Germany signed the so-called Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret protocols on unlawful division of Europe. The deals enabled the Soviets to occupy the Baltic States for 50 years and appoint puppet governments.

Should the Balts be afraid again?

It appears that the highest Lithuanian officials are joining a debate, which is gaining momentum, on trying to save the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) from closure at the end of 2009. It started during the energy Conference in Vilnius last week.  Lithuania’s Economy Minister Vytas Navickas declared that the European Union might allow Lithuania to continue operating the plant through 2009, until a new nuclear plant is build.

Mr. Navickas appealed to the fact that once the plant is shut down, the prices of electrical energy will go up by 40 percent and 75 percent of Lithuania’s energy sector will depend on natural gas from Russia. Lithuania has undertaken to decommission the INNP in 2009 and, together with the Baltic countries and Poland, is planning to build a new nuclear power plant, which will be put into production around the year 2015. However, a day later the European commissioner for energy Andris Piebalgs has urged Lithuania not to even think about continuing the operation of the INPP.As the Commissioner announced in Kauno Diena “I cannot understand the arguments of the economy minister. The plant must be shut down as scheduled, as this is provided for in Lithuania’s accession agreement. Besides, there is a mechanism to compensate the decommissioning in place. The grant will be lost unless the obligations are met. And finally, the decommissioning date is no surprise for Lithuania.  Do not waste time on empty discussions.”

Howerver, on the 16 October the joined President Valdas Adamkus the Minister of Economy and expressed his believe that Lithuania may convince the European Union (EU) of the necessity to extend the lifespan of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP). He is confident, however, that the country will avoid energy famine under any scenario.

As the President told on the interview to the Zinių Radijas “First of all, we shall evaluate the current circumstances, future prospects, and then go, talk and negotiate using the language of arguments; I think this is reasoned and necessary. I think it is possible to convince them. Since there are lots of reasonable people and they see the actual situation as it is, since we are a EU Member State, and it is important for the EU not to ruin the whole economic life of one of its members. I think we will not be able to build a new nuclear facility by 2009; it might be expected that we will build by 2012 if we are not put back by vain discussions now. Reasonable people may always agree on a period of two or three years, I believe”.

The President continued, “The most important is that we have a new power plant to be built, and it would be unreasonable, irrational to cut any further supply, sources we are working on at present, somewhere in the middle of the road. I think that any reasonable establishment or a person will understand, this may be reasoned, and we may consider the period of extension so as to have us shift from one system to the other”.  

As the BNS noticed the President saw no major threat of energy famine during the transitional period even if Lithuania failed to agree on the postponement of INPP closure date, and enumerated various options. “I will be visiting Sweden in mid-November, I have already spoken about a possibility to have a link to Sweden via the Baltic Sea, through Estonia, and get electricity from Sweden. Again, Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko, who is well aware of the circumstances, told me during the just-ended Vilnius Energy Conference that Ukraine was ready to sell electricity to Lithuania, if required”.

Speaking about the planned new nuclear power station, the president encouraged to switch from talks to concrete work. “We must build it without questions about success. We should arrange without delay who will build it and how will we divide the financial responsibilities among us. Then we should sit around a table with main participants of the projects, namely Latvians and Estonians. I see no problems with them. When it comes to Poland, the Poles said clearly during the Vilnius conference that the power plant was vital to them, as well,” said Adamkus.  

In his words, Poland’s demands to receive more electricity than planned are natural. “I had a thorough discussion with Polish president and other officials of Poland - the demand for electricity is necessary for them amid developing economic life and industry, they have no other way out. If we had such a problem, we would also seek to get as much electricity as we need,” the president noted.

As the BNS informed today a Member of the European Parliament Danute Budreikaite said today that Lithuania still has not exhausted every possibility in the negotiations over extending the operation of the INNP and suggests that the government should make more efforts seeking to postpone the date of shutting down the plant.

The MEP also says that back in September 2006, when the European Council was asked if, should a new situation emerge, Lithuania may “readdress the terms of shutting down the 2nd bloc of the Ignalina nuclear power plant anew,” the answer was that according to the provisions of said Article 37, the concerned Member State, to utilize the opportunity to apply the general safeguard provision, must first of all approach the Commission asking for a permission to take preservation measures based on the information that has been collected and forwarded to it.

“After that, the Commission issues a permission for the preservation measures that, in its own discretion, it considers necessary. So the Commission must asses whether the measures that the author of the question has envisaged can be taken,” the member of the EP says.

As the BNS reported five-country cooperation agreements on implementation of the project of the pipeline Odessa-Brody-Plock-Gdansk were signed in Vilnius on evening October 10.

The agreement on energetic cooperation and one more energy document were signed by representatives of ministries and companies of Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

“The signing of this agreement is just the beginning of a long road. I hope that we will continue working together to prevent insignificant technical disagreements from causing a slow-down of the project. The oil pipeline unites and will continue to unite our regions, creates added value and strengthens energy security in the whole of the region,” Lithuania’s President Valdas Adamkus said on Octover 10.

As the BNS remained the signing is expected to be the last step for launching the alternative project to Russia’s oil supply. Odessa-Brody-Plock-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.