VILNIUS – The statement made by Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis on the possibility of resumption of the work of the Lithuanian-Russian commission on intergovernmental cooperation is irresponsible, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said.
“Vita strategic decisions on energy, transport or trade issues are made involving the EU agencies. For this reason, it is currently unreasonable and irresponsible from the point of view of national security to revive the work of the bilateral commission,” Grybauskaite was quoted as saying by her press service.
Top-level bilateral political contacts can take place between countries that demonstrate friendly relations, the president said.
“In the meantime, Russia violates the norms of international law and pursues aggressive military, information and cyber policies on its neighbors. It would be naïve to assume that economic relations separate from politics are possible with this country. Russia has always used energy, trade and other instruments as measures of political pressure and exerting influence on other countries. Our past experience only confirms that,” the president said.
Skvernelis earlier said that the Lithuanian-Russian intergovernmental commission, which had not convened for six years, could resume its operation.
The prime minister, who suggested resuming political contacts with Moscow, said that dialogue between Lithuania and Russia could address issues relating to trade, energy, and transport cooperation, as well as issues relating to agriculture, carriers, and the situation with teachers of the Lithuanian language in the Kaliningrad region.
The last meeting of the commission, which was chaired by the ministers, took place in Lithuania in Oct. 2011. Diplomats said the resumption of the work of the commission was discussed in 2013, but it was then decided that Russia’s position on the gas market reform, which was unfavorable to Gazprom, and train inspection was unacceptable and the commission did not convene.
After the prime minister’s remarks, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius repeated that “there are currently no preconditions for resumption of high-level political contacts.”
“The intergovernmental commission is led by ministers, the Lithuanian foreign minister and the Russian transport minister. The last meeting took place on Oct. 3-4, 2011. After that, Russia postponed meetings and the next meeting did not take place,” Linkevicius told BNS.
