LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT IMPROVING RELATIONS WITH TURKEY WORSENED BY PART RESOLUTION, PLEDGING SUPPORT ON ITS PATH TO EU

Baltic News Service
June 20, 2006 Tuesday 11:56 PM EET

Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus is trying to improve relations
with Turkey that have worsened after the Lithuanian parliament passed
a resolution, pledging assistance for the country on its path to the
European Union.

After a meeting with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Ankara
on Tuesday, Adamkus said that the resolution passed by the Lithuanian
parliament would definitely not change Lithuania’s foreign policy.

Passed by the Lithuanian parliament at the end of last year, the
resolution urged Turkey to admit having committed genocide of the
Armenian nation almost 100 years ago. In response to the resolution,
Turkey made a diplomatic demarche. Lithuanian Ambassador to Ankara
Vytautas Nauduzas was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry and was
warned that the resolution would worsen bilateral relations between
Lithuania and Turkey.

In the Armenians’ words, about 1.5 million Armenians were killed
during the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923.

Turkey, which is seeking EU membership, denies the fact of genocide,
saying that Armenians fell victims to the war that claimed the lives
of many Turks as well.

The Turkish president, in his turn, said it was agreed during the
meeting to avoid actions that would harm the development of relations
between the two countries. He also presented Adamkus with copies
of letters of Lithuania’s interwar President Antanas Smetona to the
first Turkish president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The Lithuanian leader told his Turkish counterpart that he could
not imagine the EU without Turkey, pledging assistance for Turkey’s
integration in the European community.

Lithuania became a member of the EU in 2004 after over a decade of
efforts to join the European family.

The Turkish president said he appreciated Lithuania’s support for
Turkey’s bid to join the EU.

Turkey started detailed EU accession negotiations last week, after
25 EU member states managed to find a way out of the deadlock over
Cyprus. The EU is pressing Turkey to open its ports and airports to
ships and planes of Cyprus, a member of the EU, and recognize the
Greek government of Cyprus.

If Turkey joined the EU, it would be the largest member of the bloc
in terms of area and population.

During their meeting, the Turkish and Lithuanian presidents also
discussed bilateral cooperation issues in political, economic and
cultural fields, prospects of Turkey’s integration into the EU,
relations with neighboring countries, possibilities of cooperation in
the field of energy, the Lithuanian president’s press service reported.

Adamkus thanked the Turkish leader for a mission performed by Turkish
servicemen. Turkish airmen have been deployed in Zokniai, Lithuania,
to perform the Baltic air policing mission.

Discussing regional cooperation, it was noted that South Caucasus
countries and Turkey were becoming very important in creating
alternative power supply possibilities.

In the Lithuanian president’s words, Turkey’s relations with Azerbaijan
are an excellent example of neighborly relations. He said Turkey’s
relations with Georgia were improving as well, adding that these
close ties were useful not only to the cooperating countries but
also to the entire region. In Adamkus’ words, joint projects of the
countries, such as an oil pipeline and a gas pipeline, may become
very significant in strengthening energy independence and security
of European countries. The president said Lithuania was interested
in expanding these projects to the Baltic Sea.