Linkevičius and Sikorski – meeting after four years

Thursday’s meeting between two foreign ministers of neighbouring countries, Linas Linkevičius and Radoslaw Sikorski, was their first meeting during last four years. The ministers talked, among other things, about the situation of national minorities and cooperation in the energy sector. 

“We came to Poland to visit very important neighbour and ally. We have so many different enterprises to undertake that all misunderstandings and unclear situations should be now the things of the past,” said Linkevičius after the meeting.

“Our aim was to move our relations in the right direction. There was no agreement for a long time, and to tell you the truth, there were no talks,” Linkevičius added.

The ministers were talking, for example, about the situation of national minorities. Minister Sikorski said that Poland and the international organizations are waiting for an enactment of the law on minorities, promised by the Lithuanian government, which is considered as a very appropriate thing to regulate the demands of national minorities.

“I informed minister Sikorski about a formation of a working party which is going to propose amendments to the bills, so that we could answer to these questions. Minister said that it was our internal matter but he hoped that Lithuania would do whatever was in the interest of its citizens. I also said that all citizens are equally important: the Lithuanians, the Polish and the Russians. Polish minister emphasised that the Polish minority as Lithuanian citizens should be loyal to the country they live in. It’s a statement worthy of respect,” Linkevičius said.

After the meeting with his Lithuanian colleague, Radoslaw Sikorski said that the “review on relations” was done.

“I put forward specific proposals concerning our cooperation. We offered a full support for the first Lithuanian presidency in the Council of the European Union and we wish it to be successful. We also offer an organizational and political support for the management of the Eastern Partnership summit, whose success is in our mutual interest,” enumerated Sikorski.

Minister Sikorski offered to connect Lithuania to the Polish gas main system that would enable all the Baltic countries to use the terminal for liquid gas in Swinoujscie, whose building is still in progress.

Based on: BNS, PPA, own information

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/artykul/linkevicius-i-sikorski-spotkanie-po-czterech-latach

Tłumaczenie Patrycja Olszówka w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Patrycja Olszówka the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.