Energy security, issue of particular importance for Lithuania, in the European Council conclusions

Thursday, October 16, Brussels. President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus attended the second day session of the European Council meeting.

Leaders of the European Union Member States discussed further actions concerning the situation in Georgia and the EU-Russian relations and adopted the European Pact on Migration and Asylum. Also, Council conclusions were adopted, which reflect, inter alia, the issue of energy security which is particularly important for Lithuania.

President Adamkus thanked the French Presidency of the EU, the President of the Commission  José Manuel Barroso and the European leaders for their strong commitment to prepare an action plan for the Baltic countries. 

“Now the EU is assuming common responsibility to deal with critical problems after closure of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. This solidarity is especially important for Lithuania and the whole Baltic region,” Lithuania's Head of State underlined.

The European Council conclusions also envisage the establishment of a solidarity mechanism for energy crises.

Concerning the issue of climate change, the Council agreed that specific circumstances of individual countries should be taken into account in sharing pollution reduction targets among the Member States.  Lithuania seeks that the significant increase of pollution after closure of the Ignalina NPP is taken into consideration.

Talking on the issue of Georgia and the EU-Russian relations, President Adamkus underlined the importance of consistent and principled position of the EU in ensuring that the agreements made are fully implemented, i.e. that Russia withdraws its troops to the positions before the conflict with Georgia.

“It is obvious that thousands of Russian troops instead of several hundred peacekeepers are deployed in South Ossetia and Abkhazia today. Therefore, when we assess the progress made, we may not claim the work has been done,” Lithuania's President said.

President Adamkus also recalled that in its extraordinary session in September the European Council agreed to perform an assessment of the EU-Russian relations.

“We then decided to suspend negotiations for the new agreement with Russia. And we can resume the negotiations only after we have fulfilled the conditions set by ourselves,” stressed the President.