Lithuania's NATO membership doesn't scare Ivanov

  • 2002-03-14
  • Rokas M. Tracevskis
VILNIUS

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told top Lithuanian officials during a visit to Vilnius on March 6-7 that NATO expansion is not "in line with Europe's stability and security interests."

Ivanov had separate meetings with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis, President Valdas Adamkus, Parliament Chairman Arturas Paulauskas and Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas.

"Lithuania is a sovereign independent state which must determine its own foreign policy priorities and decide how to relate with European and international organizations," Ivanov said.

Ivanov repeated Russia's NATO stance, saying the alliance should become more of a political and less a military organization. He also said Russia should have a greater voice in NATO's policies in Europe.

The Financial Times this month reported that NATO officials were discussing giving Russia increased status in the alliance, a claim that NATO Secretary General George Robertson denied.

Robertson said NATO wanted cooperation with Russia but didn't necessarily want it as a member.

Though NATO was the most pressing topic on reporters' minds, the meetings focused mostly on Lithuania's relations with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

The issue of visa-free travel for Kaliningrad residents through Lithuania topped that agenda.

"Of course, a visa-free regime would be ideal," said Ivanov. "But we are ready to talk with the EU about problems with Kaliningrad's residents. Lithuanian leadership shows good will to talk about these issues."

Both Lithuania and Poland plan to introduce visa requirements for Kaliningrad residents in the summer of 2003 to meet European Union demands.

Brazauskas reassured Ivanov that the visa requirements would be as liberal as possible but would stay within the framework of EU rules.

Lithuania has also promised to consider Russia's request to allow the transportation of liquid rocket fuel to Russia from Kaliningrad through Lithuanian .

"We have agreed that the experts will meet and discuss the possibilities and consequences of such transportation in the near future," Valionis said.

The rocket fuel is to be recycled in Russia.

To continue the dialogue with Russia on Kaliningrad and other issues, Adamkus delivered an invitation to Ivanov for Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Lithuania.

"I'll give this invitation to our president immediately after my arrival in Moscow," Ivanov said "Putin will be delighted to receive it. He will visit Lithuania, but the exact date is not known yet."

Ivanov also said that the Russian Parliament would ratify the Lithuanian-Russian border treaty within months. The treaty was signed in 1997 and ratified by the Lithuanian Parliament in 1999. Lithuania is the only former Soviet republic to sign a border treaty with Russia.

According to diplomatic sources, Ivanov also expressed Russia's dissatisfaction with Lithuania's long-standing demand of $20 billion in compensation from Russia for 50 years of Soviet occupation.

Ivanov also met with representatives of Lithuania's Russian community. Ethnic Russian MPs and other community leaders complained about the strict visa requirements between Lithuania and Russia that deter travel to Russia.

Ivanov also took the opportunity to throw a barb at the governments in Latvia and Estonia over its treatment of Russian speakers.

"It is impossible to compare the situation of ethnic Russians in Lithuania with the problems of our compatriots in Latvia and Estonia," he said.