German ties strengthen

VILNIUS - President Dalia Grybauskaite met with members of the German Bundestag’s Parliamentary Friendship Group for Relations with the Baltic States in a meeting that focused on issues relevant for the whole of Europe and key priorities of Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, reports ELTA.
“Germany is a very important partner for Lithuania and for our entire region. The dialogue of our countries has notably intensified over the past few years. Germany’s support to our aspirations for energy independence is particularly significant for Lithuania. Lithuania also appreciates Germany’s support in preparations for the presidency of the EU Council,” the president said.

According to Grybauskaite, a common approach to the economic crisis and measures to tackle its consequences has been essential in bringing Lithuania and Germany closer together. Cooperation between the two countries in addressing the matters of importance for the Baltic region is also deemed to be successful. It is critical to ensure nuclear security in the region and raise security issues in dealing with the EU neighbors. It is also necessary to implement the Baltic Sea Region Strategy as a coordinated response to the underlying regional problems.
The meeting included the discussion of other EU-wide concerns, including youth unemployment and ways to reduce it. Among the other matters discussed at the meeting were the Eastern Partnership and the EU-Eastern Partnership summit to be held in November in Vilnius.