Lithuania disturbed by Russia's views

Jul 10, 2008
Tbt staff in cooperation with BNS

VILNIUS - President Valdas Adamkus has stressed that Lithuania is becoming increasingly disturbed by Russia's views of the Soviet Union.

"Obviously, there have been different periods in the history of our mutual relationship that dates back centuries. However, we are being increasingly disturbed by Russia's views of the state which it itself pronounced, in the Belovezh accords, a 'geopolitical reality that no longer exists.' I can assure you that nobody in Lithuania is going to deny the input of the Russian nation in the fight against Fascism. Just like the input of any other nation -- the Ukrainians, Belarusians, Kazakhs," Adamkus said when accepting credentials from Russia's new Ambassador Vladimir Chkhikvadze.
He urged people not to forget that this, no longer existent country, stood behind crimes against international law and humanity in the Baltic countries, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Afghanistan.
"I do not think it is the goal of Russia's policy to identify with these crimes," the president said.
Adamkus believes it is crucial to learn to talk about the complicated period with accurate precision, without offending and insulting anyone.
In the president's words, Lithuania is also looking forward to some solid steps in the field of legal cooperation as well, particularly when it comes to solving dormant cases and combating the instigation of hatred, by way of pickets or by launching cyber attacks.

The ceremony to accredit the ambassador had been scheduled for June 30, however the President's Office postponed it saying that Adamkus's agenda had changed. Unofficial sources then said that the postponement of the meeting between Adamkus and Chkhikvadze was a conscious diplomatic gesture.

The decree of Chkhikvadze, a career diplomat, as ambassador to Lithuania was signed by the then Russian president Vladimir Putin in the beginning of May. Prior to the appointment, Chkhikvadze headed the Russian Foreign Ministry's Security Department since 2005.