OFFICIAL VIZIT OF PRIME MINISTER GEDIMINAS KIRKILAS TO TURKEY
Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas paid an official visit to Turkey on April 30-May 2.
Prime Minister had meetings with Turkey‘s President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan. Discussions were focused on bilateral Lithuania-Turkey relations and prospects for their development. In fact, this has been the first visit of a Lithuanian prime minister since the restoration of the independence.The counterparts widely discussed the possibilities of economic cooperation. Gediminas Kirkilas made a proposal of extending the route of the combined transport train Viking to Turkey’s ports in the Black Sea. The Prime Minister has voiced his request as regards facilitated real estate registration for the Lithuanian citizens in Turkey. According to Gediminas Kirkilas, all the necessary political and economic premises are in place for visa-free regime with Turkey. The counterparts have agreed that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs should continue consultations in this regard.
During the conversations also the prospects of the enlargement of the European Union and Turkey‘s EU membership were touched. Gediminas Kirkilas emphasized that Lithuania was a strong and consistent supporter of EU enlargement and welcomed the progress on reforms in Turkey and the country‘s orientation towards European values. In the Prime Minister‘s opinion, it is imperative to proceed with reforms. Lithuania, Gediminas Kirkilas continued, also carried out a number of political, economic and legal reforms on the way toward the integration into the EU and NATO.
The Lithuanian Prime Minister thanked Turkey for its support to Lithuania‘s NATO integration efforts and participation in the air-patrolling mission over Baltic air space.
The counterparts also addressed energy security issues. Lithuania, according to Gediminas Kirkilas, is in flavor of the common external EU energy policy and closer cooperation with the Caspian and Black Sea regions in this regard. The diversification of gas import and the prospects for the Nabucco pipeline was discussed. In the Prime Minister‘s view, energy security issues should be placed on the NATO agenda too.
The Prime Minister reminded of the fact that Vilnius would be European Capital of Culture 2009, with Istambul following suit as European Capital of Culture for 2010, and suggested enhancing close cooperation in the area of culture.
On May 1, Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas took part at the 11th Eurasian Economic Summit.
