President Dalia Grybauskaitė discussed with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, the continuity of bilateral cooperation in implementing regional energy and transport projects, and the representation of interests significant for both countries in the European Union and NATO.

"Latvia is the closest neighbor of Lithuania. We have many common long-term goals to enhance the energy security of the Baltic States, and to promote economic progress and competitiveness in the region. We hope that using to full extent the potential of regional and international cooperation with Latvia will allow continuing active interaction at all political levels," the President said.

According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, close cooperation of Nordic and Baltic countries will enable better advocating of the common regional interests in the European Union and NATO. Lithuania is preparing to take over coordination of such cooperation next year. The Baltic-Nordic Eight Summit is planned to be held in Vilnius in 2012.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia also agreed that both countries would act together to ensure sufficient European support for common priority spheres in the EU's new financial framework. Europe's energy and transport interconnections, the structural support to reduce regional disparities and to ensure more equal distribution of agricultural payments between the EU member states are common priorities for Latvia and Lithuania in negotiating the EU's new financial framework.

Dalia Grybauskaitė and Edgars Rinkēvičs also touched on the preparedness for the NATO's forthcoming summit to be held next spring in Chicago.

In July, President Dalia Grybauskaitė discussed bilateral relations with Latvian President Andris Bērziņš during his official visit in Lithuania.
 
 
Press Service of the Lithuanian President
 
 
09.11.2011