Merkel wraps up visit to Baltics

RIGA -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has concluded a visit to Lithuania and Latvia in which she praised the Baltic countries' handling of the economic crisis and pledged to support plans to further integrate the region's energy supplies with Western Europe.

"The Baltic States are still isolated; they are outside the EU's energy market. The European Council will discuss ways to integrate Latvia and Lithuania into the internal energy market, and we are glad to say that Germany's EU Commissioner Guenther Oettinger from Germany highly supports the development of the internal market," Merkel told reporters during the first leg of her journey in Lithuania. She also pledged her support for the new nuclear power plant project.

She reiterated the message the following day in Latvia, saying "we need a common energy policy which will take in account everyone."

Merkel met with the presidents and prime ministers of Lithuania and Latvia during a two day visit to the region earlier this week.