COOPERATION BETWEEN LITHUANIA AND IRELAND IS DISCUSSED IN DUBLIN
On 7 December at the consultations of political directors from the Lithuanian and Irish Foreign Ministries Eitvydas Bajarūnas and David Donoghue in Dublin, perspectives of bilateral and regional cooperation, results of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Summit in Astana, and current issues of the European Union and security policy were discussed.
Lithuania and Ireland are intensifying their cooperation in preparation to chair international organizations.
In 2011, Lithuania will hold the OSCE chairmanship, and Ireland will chair the organization in 2012. Next year, the countries will form the OSCE Troika. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half 2013, Lithuania will take over the Presidency of the Council in the second half of the year. Together with Greece, the countries will constitute the so-called Trio Presidency of the Council and will set up a common work programme that will cover a period of eighteen months.
During the consultations, E.Bajarūnas presented priority directions of Lithuania’s OSCE chairmanship and the experience of preparations to hold the chairmanship, stressed the importance of close cooperation between the presidencies, and effective cooperation with Kazakhstan’s outgoing chair of the OSCE.
Political directors of the Lithuanian and Irish MFAs exchanged opinions on possible cooperation projects, workshops and visits that would help to ensure a more effective implementation of the objectives of OSCE chairmanship and the EU presidency. Practical points of preparations for the presidencies and details of activities of current chairmanships were also discussed.
On 8 December, E.Bajarūnas continued holding meetings with Irish officials. The political director delivered a lecture at Ireland’s Institute of International and European Affairs and presented priority directions of Lithuania’s incoming OSCE chairmanship.
On the same day, the Lithuanian Embassy in Dublin held a meeting with Lithuanian community members and the diplomat presented the priorities of Lithuanian foreign policy, discussed topical issues of Lithuanian foreign policy and international relations.
E.Bajarūnas acquainted Lithuanians living in Ireland will Lithuania’s preparation to hold the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2011 and the Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2013.
The discussion focused on possibilities for Lithuanian communities abroad to contribute to the strengthening of Lithuania’s international role.
