THE FIRST LITHUANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO ADOLFAS VENSKUS DIED
On 23 August, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania Adolfas Venskus died at the age of 82 in France. Ambassador A.Venskus (1924-2007) was the first Lithuanian Ambassador to the European Union and NATO. “We lost a diplomat, who has contributed a lot to Lithuania, dedicating his energy and life experience to our country. Adolfas Venskus persistently and wisely steered Lithuania on the path to the European Union and NATO, assisting the consolidation of Lithuanian diplomacy’s position in the international community. Ambassador A.Venskus believed in the idea of a united Europe and embodied this belief with all of his life and work,” indicated Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas.
A.Venskus was born in 1924, in Klaipėda. He took his degree in chemistry in the universities of Kaunas and Paris. In 1944 he immigrated to France, where he worked as an engineer in French metallurgy industry.
Mr Venskus was an active member of various international organisations, e.g., the European Movement, a member of the Christian Democratic International, as well as a member of Lithuanian community in France. From 1983 to 1988, A.Venskus was chairman of the European division of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania in Strasbourg. He provided a major input into the 13 January 1983 European Parliament’s Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This Resolution condemned the occupation and illegal incorporation of the Baltic States by the Soviet Union.
The Ambassador applied his experience and bonds of friendship with world-famous politicians to struggle for the recognition of the Independence of Lithuania. Back in 1990, when it was not possible for Lithuania to have official diplomatic representations, A.Venskus helped to establish the Baltic Information Bureau in Brussels.
In 1991, A.Venskus was appointed Lithuanian plenipotentiary to the European Parliament and Council of Europe, and later he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the European Union and NATO. He was in office until 1995. Until his death Ambassador A.Venskus continued working as an honorary consultant on European issues to the Lithuanian Embassy in France.
Mr Venskus is awarded the Cross of Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and gold medal of honour by the French Minister of Labour.
