Society
United Nations
Foreign affairs
Economy
Lithuania elected to vice-chair World Tourism Organization’s Commission for Europe
During the 59th meeting of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Commission for Europe, held last Sunday in Medellin, Colombia, Lithuania along with Switzerland and Montenegro were elected to chair the regional commission. […]
Society
Opinion
Opinion: Potsdam Conference and Russia’s crooked-mirror politics in Kaliningrad
Most of the time history can’t be put to bed even though agreements to end wars have been concluded, victors have drawn new boundary lines, promises made, but they soon get either forgotten or swept under the rug, as if they weren’t there. The story of the northern part of former East Prussia (now known as the Kaliningrad exclave) is a good example of a conveniently ignored agreement made at the 1945 Potsdam conference to resolve the fate of the territory at a later peace treaty with Germany. […]
Uncategorized
Defence
Lithuanian troops leaving for Somalia anti-piracy operation
Lithuania’s port city of Klaipėda is hosting on Monday a farewell ceremony for the Lithuanian troops leaving for the European Union’s (EU) anti-piracy operation Atalanta off the coasts of the Eastern African country of Somalia. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania’s foreign ministry welcomes Iran nuclear deal
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius on Tuesday welcomed the recently-reached deal on Iran‘s nuclear program, saying that it was a long-awaited and welcome step. […]
Foreign affairs
Iran – new and strong player
Not long ago, on 2 April 2015 an agreement was reached in Lausanne, Switzerland, that was referred to as “historic”. The agreement was concluded between The Six (five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council + Germany) and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran takes the responsibility to reduce the enrichment of Uranium and the West, in return, is ready to lift some sanctions. The Lausanne Agreement was assessed positively. However, there are some sceptics thinking that the Agreement includes particular threats. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania supports international fight against nuclear terrorism
The four-day Sherpa Meeting before the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit ended on 2 July in Vilnius. The meeting brought together 130 high-ranking officials from 48 countries along with representatives from international organisations like the United Nations (UN), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Union (EU) and Interpol, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. […]
Defence
New shift of Lithuanian troops seen off to NATO mission in Afghanistan
A formal deployment ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in Vilnius on Friday for yet another shift of Lithuanian soldiers joining the NATO mission in Afghanistan. […]
Uncategorized
UN Security Council to hold Lithuania-initiated meeting on Ukraine
The United Nations (UN) Security Council is Friday holding an extraordinary meeting initiated by Lithuania to discuss the clashes in Ukraine that jeopardize the ceasefire mediated by Europe. […]
Politics
Lithuanian president delivers State of the Nation address: The world is not a peaceful place
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė made her annual State of the Nation address at the Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, on Thursday. In her speech, the president mostly focused on national defence, security challenges stemming from Russia‘s aggressive policies, as well as emigration of working-age population. Grybauskaitė also stressed the need to work more on addressing social issues, particularly in childcare institutions. […]
Culture
Lithuania wants to get on UNESCO Executive Board
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius informed Irina Bokova, director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in Paris on Wednesday of Lithuania’s wish to join the UNESCO Executive Board in 2015-2019. […]
Foreign affairs
UN Security Council calls to step up efforts against extremist fighters
Presided by Lithuania, the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Friday urged member-states to be more active in their efforts against foreign fighters joining extremist organizations in Syria and Iraq. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuanian foreign minister to preside over UN Security Council debates
In the framework of the Lithuanian presidency over the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the country’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius will preside over two Security Council debates in New York this week – on journalist safety and on foreign terrorist fighters. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuanian politicians propose turning to international court over Crimean annexation
Lithuania’s conservative party, the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, has suggested initiating a UN General Assembly resolution on turning to the International Court of Justice over Russia‘s annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea. […]
Foreign affairs
How Lithuania can irritate Russia into retreat
Lithuania is in a perfect position to irritate Russia enough to force Moscow out its current misinformation offensive into the defensive, says J. Michael Waller, an American expert on information warfare. In an interview with DELFI, he shares some tips how even a country as small as Lithuania could push Russia’s buttons. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania to preside over UN Security Council meeting on Mediterranean crisis
Lithuania will Monday preside over the meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council on the crisis in the Mediterranean Sea, where thousands of migrants have perished while trying to cross from North Africa to Europe. […]
Foreign affairs