President Lennart Meri received Rolandas Paksas, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, in the presidential palace of Kadriorg today; on the meeting, the progress of Estonia and Lithuania on the way to the European Union and NATO was discussed. The Prime Minister of Lithuania recognised Estonia's success on the way to the European Union and hoped that Estonia would share her experience.

Also defence co-operation between the Baltic States was discussed, as well as the co-operation between the foreign missions of the three countries in elucidating the Baltic States' readiness for NATO in the NATO member states. The Prime Minister of Lithuania gave President Meri an overview of the Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus's visit to Russia, where the Russian President Vladimir Putin had confirmed that each country had the right to choose its own security guarantees.

On today's meeting also co-operation projects with Kaliningrad and the possibility of linking Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as other Baltic Sea states, into a common electricity system were discussed.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, April 12, 2001

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