STATEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Created 2002-11-12
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania considers the statement by the European Union (EU) and Russia on the transit between the Kaliningrad Region and the rest of the Russian Federation issued yesterday,
on 11 November, in Brussels as a significant document aimed to blueprint the ways and possibilities of solving the issues of travel between Russia, its Region of Kaliningrad and the enlarged EU. The statement by the EU and Russia is a document, whose implementation terms and possibilities are subject to negotiations of Lithuania, the EU and Russia.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regards this document as a search for political compromise and believes that there are sufficient premises for attaining the most beneficial result for Lithuania in further negotiations. Having defined the travel conditions for Russian citizens, it is also necessary to define in the short run the guarantees for Lithuania concerning its accession to the Schengen Area and additional financial support from the EU. At the same time, it is necessary to determine the conditions of travel for Lithuanian citizens to Russia and its Kaliningrad Region. Further decisions will depend upon the qualities of guarantees put forward by the EU and upon Russia’s collaboration in addressing topical issues, namely, state border agreements, a readmission agreement, development of consulates, travel of Lithuanian citizens and other mutually relevant issues.
In the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the accord reached in Brussels forms the basis for an effective border control and flexible travel regulations. The position of the EU to include decisions on the transit into the Schengen acquis and the EU pledge to provide additional financial support to Lithuania are commendable. In turn, Russia confirmed its intentions of concluding a readmission agreement and its commitments concerning expansion of consulates, which is also to be rated under positive results of the EU-Russia Summit.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscores that a feasibility study of visa-exempt trains shall be carried out only after its terms of reference have been agreed with Lithuania, while the conclusions of the study are to comply with the Schengen acquis. Any decision on this issue can be taken only after Lithuania’s accession to the EU.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs aligns itself with the provision of the EU-Russia statement reading that the search for optimal decisions on the prospects of the Kaliningrad Region within the context of EU enlargement is to be continued. Today is a favourable time to intensify cooperation on transport, energy, environment, state border management and modernisation of crossing-points, culture and education projects, which would pave the way for addressing urgent economic and social issues and involving the Kaliningrad Region in the process of regional integration.
The Lithuanian Government will take decisions on the control of transit after 1 January 2003 onwards and the implementation of facilitated transit document in view of the EU and Russia fulfilling their commitments and taking account of legal and technical requirements of border control for Lithuania’s future membership of the Schengen Area.
