Schroeder makes a 'historic' visit

VILNIUS - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed support for
Lithuania's wish to join the European Union and NATO, but he did not
mention any dates for Lithuania during his visit in Vilnius on June 7.

Schroeder said he is positive about the proposal of Lithuanian Prime
Minister Andrius Kubilius to accept Poland and three Baltic countries
into the EU simultaneously. It would help to avoid drawing temporary
lines between neighboring countries in the region, Kubilius had said.

Schroeder gave some idea about when EU might think about inviting new members.

"Now the EU 15 should make internal reforms of this organization in
2002. It will enable it to prepare for EU expansion," Schroeder said.

He promised German financial help for the closure of Ignalina nuclear
station but could not mention concrete figures.

"I need to meet with our finance minister," Schroeder explained.

The German chancellor praised Lithuania's good relations with its neighbors.

"I'm impressed with the excellent relations between Lithuania and
Russia. It brings stability to the region," Schroeder said.

He also expressed an understanding that Europe is morally guilty for
abandoning the Baltic countries during the Cold War.

"It's not that the Baltic countries left Europe in trouble several
decades ago, but Europe abandoned the Baltic countries," Schroeder
said.

After meetings with Lithuanian officials, Shroeder participated in
the opening of a German economic mission in Vilnius. According to
trade figures, Lithuania appeared to be the key trade partner for
Germany in the Baltics. The trade volume between Lithuania and
Germany is over 2.5 billion deutschemarks ($1.2 billion).

"Lithuanian export to Germany is bigger than Lithuanian export to
France, the United Kingdom and Sweden combined," Kubilius said.

Germany is the biggest trading partner for Lithuania. However,
Germany is just the fourth foreign investor behind Sweden, Finland
and the United States, say officials of the Lithuanian Department of
Statistics.

Schroeder spoke not only about politics and business in Lithuania. He
took a walk in Vilnius Old Town with Lithuanian President Valdas
Adamkus, Emanuelis Zingeris, a Conservative MP of Jewish origin, and
Simonas Alperavicius, chairman of the Jewish community. Zingeris told
Schroeder about the history of the Vilnius Jewish community and sang
a lullaby in Yiddish to the German chancellor.

Schroeder expressed fascination with the beauty and progress of
Vilnius during his walk and gave a coin to a begging woman near
Ausros Vartai (the Gates of Dawn), Vilnius' Catholic shrine. Later,
he proposed unexpectedly to Adamkus and company that they go to the
nearest restaurant for a beer.

The group decided to go to Amatininku Uzeiga, a restaurant serving
Lithuanian cuisine, where Schroeder drank a glass of Svyturio
Baltijos beer. The waiter who served Schroeder did not recognize the
German chancellor but identified Adamkus and Zingeris, he later told
journalists.

Vygaudas Usackas, Lithuanian foreign vice-minister, described
Schroeder's visit as "historic." Indeed, the last head of German
state who visited Lithuania was Adolf Hitler. In 1939, he issued an
ultimatum to Lithuania to give up its port to Nazi Germany,
threatening to occupy the entire country if Lithuania did not obey.
Hitler later came to Klaipeda to celebrate when Lithuania
surrendered, and ethnic Lithuanians and Jews left the port.

The last visit to Vilnius by a German leader was even longer ago.
Kaiser Wilhelm II came in 1915 when Germany occupied the entire
country.