News

On 21 August,  Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas bade farewell to the outgoing Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Sweden, Malin Kärre, and of Finland,Timo Lahelma. The Foreign Minister thanked both Ambassadors for their close and fruitful cooperation and the farewell discussions with both included bilateral political and economic relations, as well as the situation in Georgia and Belarus.

During the meeting with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden it was stated that political, economic and other relations between Lithuania and Sweden were very intensive, and that both countries shared basic attitudes in the areas of foreign and security policy. The positions of the countries coincide also in regard to the military conflict in Georgia.

Minister P.Vaitiekūnas indicated that a peaceful and long-term resolution of the conflict in Georgia would be possible only by building it on the principles of Georgia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. P.Vaitiekūnas and M.Kärre also highlighted the significance of creating an integrated Baltic-Nordic energy market. They also discussed the necessity for new electric power grids. M.Kärre also called the Lithuanian Foreign Minister’s attention to periodic instances of intolerance towards certain groups of people in Lithuania. P.Vaitiekūnas indicated that such instances surely did not contribute to creating a European and open society in Lithuania. The Foreign Minister stressed that both Lithuanian public institutions and various organizations were making every effort to educate the new generation to live in tolerance of and in concord with society.

At the meeting with the Ambassador of Finland T.Lahelma, close bilateral and regional cooperation was welcomed. Minister P.Vaitiekūnas expressed his conviction that successful practical cooperation with Finland would be continued.

Minister P.Vaitiekūnas and Ambassador T.Lahelma discussed the situation in Belarus. According to the Foreign Minister, the international community needs to pay constant attention to this country and its people.

Having completed their tenure in Lithuania, both departing diplomats move on to new appointments. T.Lahelma has been appointed Ambassador of Finland to Central Asia with residence in Helsinki. M.Kärre is appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Egypt. Ambassadors’ reappointments, from one country to another, without return to their home capital, is common practice in European countries.