Lithuanian President Speaks of EU, Black Sea Region Cooperation

Addressing the Georgian Parliament on November 9 visiting Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus said that Europe has ?neither a moral nor a historical right to deny the nations of the Black Sea region the possibility to share the same Trans-Atlantic institutions.?

?On the contrary, we have a responsibility to bring these nations back to Europe,? President Adamkus said.

?Let me be frank: up to now your region has been under the radar screens of the European Union?  Our [EU?s] European foreign and security policy was passive and reactive, while our attempts to unfreeze the so called ‘frozen conflicts’ and assist Georgia reestablish its territorial integrity were, perhaps, too cautious,? he said.

The Lithuanian President said that Europe has ?largely failed? to grasp opportunities offered by this region in terms of political and economic security, as well as energy supplies. ?There are many skeptics in the west and even more in the east, who do not see the Black Sea region as part of the European architecture,? President Adamkus said.

But he noted that ?right now events are unfolding rapidly.? He said that recently begun accession talks with Turkey gives an opportunity to bring the EU and its eastern neighbors closer.

?I believe that this could open a door to pan-European integration,? he added.

He said that the democratic changes which Georgia and Ukraine have undergone in recent years create new opportunities and ?Europeans will have to respond to this in a very adequate manner.?

Valdas Adamkus also said that through rapid reforms Georgia can help  develop these partnerships between the EU and the region more quickly.

?Lithuania is eager to provide political advice and support for your reforms? Georgia?s military officers are studying in Vilnius in our Military Academy? Projects are underway to develop transport links between Poti [Georgia?s port on the Black Sea] and Klaipeda [Lithuanian port on the Baltic Sea] that will accelerate our bilateral trade,? he said.

He also said that Lithuania?s experience is very important for Georgia. ?We know how difficult it is to pull foreign troops out and establish good relations with a bigger and stronger neighbor,? President Adamkus said and added that Lithuania has never given up its major principles, which helped the country to succeed.

?Lithuanians have never given up their principles and values for narrow pragmatic interests. We did not sell out our independence for cheaper oil, nor did we trade our goals to join NATO for any sort of unilateral guarantees? Our political and academic establishment was able to agree on the issues of major importance to the country, such as market reforms and foreign policy goals? a little help from outside also contributed to the success of these ongoing reforms.? He stated.

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