Lithuania leader to discuss energy, transport cooperation in Baku

BAKU, May 2 (Itar-Tass) -- The prospects for the development of
bilateral cooperation, particularly in the energy and transport
industries, will be high on the agenda of an Azerbaijani-Lithuanian summit
on Monday. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite will arrive on a
two-day official visit in the Azerbaijani capital on Monday afternoon.
The Lithuanian president will have eye-to-eye negotiations with his
Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Monday afternoon, diplomatic
sources in Baku said. The presidents are expected to discuss bilateral
cooperation in the Viking transport project, which envisages railway
shipments between Southeast Asia and Europe through Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Ukraine and Belarus. Lithuania is among the initiators and participants in
the project. The sides are also expected to consider the supplies of
energy resources from Azerbaijan to European markets, including Lithuania.
Alongside, the presidents will discuss the prospects for
Azerbaijani-Lithuanian broader trade ties. According to statistical
reports the bilateral trade reached 28.2 million dollars in 2010.
Lithuanian Ambassador in Azerbaijan Kestutis Kudzmanas said in an
interview with local media that Lithuania is seeking to expand cooperation
with Azerbaijan. "Our countries have signed more than ten agreements for
the last few years and they are successfully in effect," the diplomat said.
Since Lithuania currently presides in the OSCE and the OSCE Minsk
Group plays a role of an international mediator in the Nagorno Karabakh
peace process, the presidents Aliyev and Grybauskaite are expected to
focus attention on the ways for a peaceful settlement of this lingering
problem. During the presidency in the OSCE Lithuania set the activities to
settle the frozen conflicts as a priority. The political agenda of a Baku
summit will also include the development of democratic processes in
Azerbaijan, a closer integration of the country in European structures,
particularly under the EU program Eastern Partnership. After the summit
the presidents will make statements for the press.
The Lithuanian president will also meet with Azerbaijani Prime
Minister Artur Rasi-zade.