MINSK, June 19 (BelTA) – Belarus and Lithuania intend to promote joint projects in the area of power engineering and transport as part of the Eastern Partnership initiative, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Evaldas Ignatavicius told media after two-day consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries in Minsk on June 19. The Lithuanian official underscored that the Minsk talks had touched upon many topics. “We’ve talked about the bilateral cooperation, visa issues, opportunities emerging from cooperation between Belarus and the European Union. We’ve also discussed new initiatives,” said Evaldas Ignatavicius. “We intend to promote joint projects in the area of power engineering, transport, and environmental protection within the Eastern Partnership initiative”. In his words, Lithuania has received Belarus’ proposal about possible joint projects regarding transport and energy industry, customs affairs and border checkpoints. Evaldas Ignatavicius especially pointed out the urgency of further cooperation between Belarus and Lithuania in environmental protection. Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Valery Voronetsky remarked that during the two-day consultations between the Belarusian and Lithuanian Foreign Ministries the sides had discussed the entire range of affairs pertaining to the political dialogue, economic cooperation, development of the legal base, cooperation in the European Union and international organisations. Evaldas Ignatavicius congratulated Belarus on getting the observer status in the Council of the Baltic Sea States. “The Lithuanian side has provided its vision concerning areas of cooperation with Belarus in this organisation,” he added. The XV ministerial session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States took place in Denmark in June. At the session ministers of the CBSS member-states univocally voted in favour of providing the observer status to Belarus as from July 1, 2009.

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