PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIA REITERATES READINESS OF HIS COUNTRY TO ASSIST
ARMENIA IN PROCESS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
VILNIUS, JULY 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Andranik Margarian,
the RA Prime Minister, and a delegation headed by him, being in
Vilnius on an official visit met with Valdas Adamkus, the President of
Lithuania, on June 30. At the meeting, the RA Prime Minister mentioned
the importance of mutual visits at different levels for the
stimulation of the Armenian-Lithuanian relations. In this sense, he
especially emphasized the significance of the mutual visits of the RA
President in June, 2002, and the President of Lithuania in September,
2003 in the issue of the stumulation of the bilateral cooperation. The
Prime Minister expressed confidence that the present visit of the
delegation of the RA Government to Lithuania will also support it. He
mentioned that Valdas Adamkus’ visit to Armenia at the RA President’s
invitation is also looked forward in Armenia with great expectations.
Assuring the inflexibility of Armenia in the choice of the way of the
integration into the European family, formation of a state
corresponding to the European political and economy standards,
Andranik Margarian mentioned that the involvement of Armenia in the
“European Neighbourhood Policy” gives great opportunity for deepening
relations with the EU member countries, including Lithuania. Informing
that on June 16, Armenia officially presented to the observation of
the European Commission the preliminary package of proposals of the
Armenian party of the EU-Armenia Join Actions Plan within the
framework of the European Neighbourhood policy, the Prime Minister
mentioned that Armenia is ready to observe possibilities of the
cooperation with Lithuania within the framework of the Actions
Plan. President Adamkus assured that Lithuania numbers relaions with
countries of the South Caucasus chosen the European way of development,
and with Armenia among them, among primary tasks of its foreign policy
attempting to take a role of a connecting circle among the European
Union and those countries. In this sense, the President of Lithuania
once more reiterated the readiness to assist Armenia in the issue of
overcoming difficulties of the European integration process, to share
its experience gathered on that way. Touching upon problems of the
regional cooperation, the parties attached importance to efforts made
in that direction by international organizations, particularly, by the
EU, OSCE, NATO and CE, which are aimed to strengthening of peace and
stability in the South Caucasus. In this context, Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian emphasized the leading role of Lithuania in the
issue of the 3+3 (Baltic+South Caucasian countries) initiation. In his
turn, President Valdas Adamkus assured that the Lithuanian party will
continue to explain the importance of that initiation to his partners
from Estonia, Latvia as well as Scandinavian countries. The
interlocutors attached importance to making close the cooperation of
the two countries within framework of other international
organizations as well. The current situation and development prospects
of the settlement of the Armenia-Turkey, the Armneia-Russia-Georgia
relations, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were touched upon from the
viewpoint of strengthening stability and security in the region. The
RA Prime Minister mentioned that he expects the assistance of
Lithuania in the issue of raising the blockade of Armenia by Turkey,
improvement of relations with that country as well as recognation of
the Armenian Genocide by other EU countries. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the RA Government’s Information and Public Relations
Department, after the meeting with the President of Lithuania, Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian left for the “Antakalnis” pantheon and
laid a wreath to the Monument to Victims for Independence. After a
dinner given on behalf of Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis
and his wife in honour of the RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian and
his wife, the Prime Minister and members of the RA delegation visited
the Mayor’s Office of Vilnius. Accompanied by the Mayor, they observed
the new building of the Mayor’s Office, got acquianted with
development projects of the city and subconstructions. After midday,
members of the RA delegation went to the Genocide Victims Museum of
the Genocide and Confrontation Research Center where RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian left a writing in the honoured guests’ book. In the
evening, in honour of RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian and his
wife, an official dinner was given on behalf of Lithuanian Prime
Minister Algidas Brazauskas and his wife. The RA Prime Minister’s
meeting with Arturas Paulauskas, the Chairman of the Parliament of
Lithuania is scheduled for July 1.