At the initiative of the Lithuania – US association, a group of public figures, intellectuals, politicians and journalists voiced their disagreement on the Lithuanian vote in the December 21, 2017 UN General Assembly.
“It doesn’t even matter what the vote was on. What matters is that the USA publically and officially requested to not vote against, but Lithuania did. In this case it was possible to match both US and EU interests as the Latvians and Poles did. They abstained from voting. If we hope that US troops are to be ready to die for Lithuanian freedom, we have to be more attentive to US positions. We are all seeking for Lithuanian foreign policy to be united, however in this case such a vote did not appear right to a part of the public. As such we have expressed a separate opinion,” Lithuanian – US association president professor Raimundas Lopata told Delfi.
Statement
In light of Lithuania supporting the UN resolution on Jerusalem on December 21, 2017, that is to say against the US position and ignoring a clear US request to not vote against.
Lithuania’s neighbours Poland and Latvia abstained in voting in consideration of this request.
The US ambassador to the UN, N. Haley stated after the vote that “The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in this assembly.”
The US mission to the UN expressed the position that “It’s clear that many countries prioritized their relationship with the United States over an unproductive attempt to isolate us for a decision that was our sovereign right to make.”
The USA is the most important state in guaranteeing Lithuanian security both through NATO and on a bilateral basis,
It is in Lithuania’s vital interest to develop relations with the USA and US leadership in the world.
We are convinced that the responsible individuals who chose to vote against the USA in the UN assembly did not consider the entirety of Lithuanian state interests in doing so.
We who signed below express our disagreement with the official foreign policy of the current government in regards to this issue of import to the state.
Vilnius, January 10, 2018.
Signed by:
1. Petras Auštrevičius, Member of the European Parliament
2. Vilius Baldišis, Signatory of the Independence Act
3. Raimundas Balza, historian
4. Dr. Darius Baronas, historian
5. Prof. Lauras Bielinis, political scientist
6. Ramūnas Bogdanas, journalist, commentator
7. Dr. Eduardas Brazaitis phycologist
8. Prof. Alfredas Bumblauskas, historian
9. Dr. Algirdas Butkevičius, Member of the Parliament, former Prime Minister (2012-2016)
10. Rimantas Jonas Dagys, Member of the Parliament
11. Tomas Dapkus, journalist
12. Irena Degutienė Member of the Parliament, former Speaker of the Parliament (2009-1012)
13. Giedrius Drukteinis, journalist, writer
14. Vitalijus Gailius, Member of the Parliament
15. Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, journalist
16. Gediminas Grina, former director of the State Security Department (2010-2015)
17. Paulius Gritėnas, Journalist
18. Antanas Guoga, Member of the European Parliament
19. Albinas Januška, Signatory of the Independence Act, advisor to President A. Adamkus
20. Dr. Mažvydas Jastramskis, political scientist
21. Prof. Alvydas Jokubaitis, philosopher
22. Zenonas Juknevičius, Signatory of the Independence Act
23. Raimundas Jurevičius, lawyer
24. Renatas Juška, former ambassador
25. Virgilijus Kačinskas, Signatory of the Independence Act
26. Dr. Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Member of the Parliament
27. Modestas Kaseliauskas, Lawyer, former director of the Tax Inspection (2005 – 2014)
28. Prof. Antanas Kulakauskas, historian, political scientist
29. Henrikas Kunčius, writer
30. Vladimiras Laučius, journalist, political scientist
31. Mečys Laurinkus, Signatory of the Independence Act, former director of the State Security Department (1998 – 2004)
32. Arvydas Kostas Leščinskas, Signatory of the Independence Act
33. Prof. Raimundas Lopata, President of the Lithuania – USA Association
34. Lauras Lučiūnas, TV ir music producer
35. Valentinas Mazuronis, Member of the European Parliament
36. Prof. Gintautas Mažeikis, philosopher
37. Raimundas Mieželis, advisor to the President V. Adamkaus (1998 – 2003)
38. Edita Mildažytė, TV host, journalist
39. Prof. Alvydas Nikžentaitis, historian
40. Česlav Okinčic, Signatory of the Independence Act
41. Dr. Juozas Olekas, Member of the Parliament, former Minister of Defence (2006-2008, 2012-2016)
42. Naglis Puteikis, Member of the Parliament
43. Doc. Andrzej Pukszto, political scientist
44. Liudvikas Narcizas Rasimas, Signatory of the Independence Act
45. Paulius Saudargas, Member of the Parliament
46. Raimondas Savickas, painter
47. Virginijus Savukynas, journalist, anthropologist of culture
48. Vytautas Sinica, political scientist
49. Mindaugas Sinkevičius, former Minister of Economy (2016 – 2017)
50. Povilas Urbšys, Member of the Parliament
51. Rimvydas Valatka, Signatory of the Independence Act, journalist
52. Arūnas Valinskas, TV produser, former Speaker of the Parliament (2008 – 2009)
53. Dr. Antanas Valionis, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000 – 2006)
54. Dr. Kęstutis Vilutis,
55. Prof. Gediminas Vitkus, political scientist
56. Rimtautas Vizgirda, Chairperson of the American-Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce
57. Emanuelis Zingeris Member of the Parliament
And others…