According to Mr Andrius Krivas, Vice-minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressing the delegates at the meeting, ‘The 6 months of the Lithuanian Presidency shall bear particular importance to the entire Eastern partnership programme. In November, a meeting of the Eastern partnership countries leaders shall be hosted in Vilnius; this is where we expect to sign strategic agreements with the EU partners. The success of the same meeting will also depend on the close mutual co-operation of the EU Member States.’
The meeting of EU state and general secretaries, chaired by Mrs Jūratė Raguckienė, Chancellor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also dealt with some practical issues on co-operation by the EU Member States and the European External Action Service (EEAS). The meeting considered opportunities for enhanced coordination of crisis management, information exchange by the EU Member States and the authorities, and co-ordination of the EU actions in third countries and implementation of the exchange programmes for diplomats. On the occasion, the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU were presented to the high-ranking EU officials.
The EEAS represents the diplomatic body of the European Union, rendering assistance to Ms Catherine Ashton, Head of the EU foreign affairs, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to carry out joint foreign and security policy. At the moment EEAS employs 22 Lithuanian citizens.
During the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, over 200 meetings are scheduled in Lithuania and over 1,500 meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg. The meeting of the Eastern partnership countries leaders shall be hosted in Vilnius on 28-29 November.
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