VILNIUS - Lithuania and Russia found an original way to commemorate their 15th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations on Oct. 9 -- deporting one another's top diplomats. Lithuania took the first step by ordering a top Russian diplomat to leave the country on suspicion of espionage. Foreign Ministry officials argued that, in addition to being a spy, the diplomat tried to influence Lithuania's position on the current Russian-Georgian conflict, the Baltic News Service reported on Oct. 8.
In retaliation, Russia is reportedly planning to deport a Lithuanian diplomat.
However, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Petras Vaitiekunas could not confirm the report.
"I can neither confirm, nor deny the report," Vaitiekunas told The Baltic Times.
"That is the special services' business," he later told journalists.
The Russian Embassy in Lithuania has refused to comment.
On Oct. 5, Adamkus, together with his Polish and Ukrainian counterparts, signed a statement imploring Russia and Georgia to refrain from mutual accusations. The presidents offered their support in finding a resolution to the current conflict.
Georgia, a country troubled by conflicts with Russia over two domestic breakaway regions, is in danger of falling back into post-communist violence as relations between Moscow and Tbilisi are at their worst.
The majority of Lithuania's politicians have openly sided with Georgia.
When asked about Lithuania and Russia's diplomatic tit-for-tat, Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas described the practice as "normal."
"There is nothing extraordinary about this practice. When such things happen, the country should act with dignity as NATO and the EU members," Kirkilas said on the public television program TV Forumas, broadcast on Oct. 11.
He refused to provide more details, saying that the issue was confidential. Yet the PM did confirm that "another side usually sends out a diplomat of the same rank."
President Valdas Adamkus was more willing to speak publicly.
"This is not news in diplomatic practice, it happens throughout the world. A spy is caught and there are laws that support sending him out," Adamkus told journalists.
Both Adamkus and Vaitiekunas asserted that the incident should not seriously damage Lithuanian-Russian relations.
"It is not the first time [that this has happened] and not the last time," Adamkus said.
Vaitiekunas was more diplomatic: "I do not give too much significance to the issue. Theoretically, everything could have a negative influence on diplomatic relations, depending on the aims of the state. Our goal is to keep a constructive tone in negotiations and relations with all neighbors, including Russia," he said.
Political scientist Ceslovas Laurinavicius believes that Lithuania acted as any politically mature country would.
"By ordering a Russian diplomat out of the country, Lithuania demonstrated its independence and also the rigidity of its position. Many countries try to influence our politicians, but not all diplomats are sent out of the country. Lithuania's action shows that it does not want to be influenced by Russia," Laurinavicius told The Baltic Times.
He highlighted the delicate way Lithuania dismissed the Russian diplomat.
"Our politicians tried to avoid making strong comments to minimize the negative effect on Russia's image. This is very important, as it shows respect to the other country," Laurinavicius said.
The recent incident is not the first fissure in Lithuanian-Russian relations. In 2004, Lithuania dismissed six Russian diplomats, including a military attache and his deputy. In reply, Russia ordered one Lithuanian military attache out of Moscow, and later refused to accredit a new candidate for the position.
