In Estonia Baltic and Benelux foreign ministers discuss international policy issues

On 1-2 October in Sagadi, Estonia, during the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) and the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg), Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaroslav Neverovič discussed the situation in Georgia, relations with Russia and other important issues of international relations.

Participants of the meeting solidly agreed that the European Union member states should in principle seek to see that Russia fulfils its obligations with regard to Georgia. Ministers also indicated that Georgia’s territorial integrity should be respected and that it was necessary to dedicate a lot of attention not only to the problems of refugees in Georgia, bet also to the reconstruction of Georgia’s economy and economic reforms in this country.

During the meeting of the Baltic and Benelux Foreign Ministers, the European Neighbourhood policy, the Treaty of Lisbon and the parliamentary election in Belarus were also discussed.

During the discussions, the Ministers also discussed energy security issues. Vice-Minister J.Neverovič highlighted the significance of energy security in Europe. It was agreed that more attention would be dedicated to this issue during the next meeting of Baltic and Benelux Foreign Ministers in 2009 in Luxemburg.

While speaking about economic issues, Ministers expressed their opinion that current situation in the financial markets ought to be discussed in the EU institutions, also during the meetings of EU Foreign Ministers and Financial Ministers, and during the upcoming European Council on 15-16 October.

This is already the second meeting of Baltic and Benelux Foreign Ministers. The first one was held in 2007 in Jūrmala, Latvia.