Lithuania in the News
12th April 2015
Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius Leads a Delegation to Australia
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop with Lithuania's Foreign
Minister Linas Linkevičius meeting up at the UN Security Council.
Photo courtesy urm.lt
Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius, accompanied by Lithuania's Ambassador to Australia, Egidijus Meilūnas, led a delegation to Australia March 21 - 26, 2015 to meet Australia's political, business and academic leaders.The Lithuanian delegatation included Ina Marčiulionytė, Director of Latin America, Africa, Asia & Oceania Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Simonas Šatūnas, Director of External Economic Relations Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Linkevičius visited Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. In Canberra he met Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bronwyn Bishop, and Tanya Plibersek, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. He expressed his apprecition of Australia's cooperation wih Lithuania at the UN Security Council in 2014, when Lithuania and Australia were both members of that body, and requested that Australia increase its pressure on Russia to stop Russian agression. Lithuania continues to be a member of the UN Security Council in 2015.
During his visit to Canberra Minister Linkevicius asked for Australia's suppport in Lithuania's application to join the OECD group of nations and sought an increase in the trade bwtween Australia and Lithuania. He said he hoped that the Australian-Lithuanian Business Council, based in Melbourne, could be instrumental in increasing the trade volumes. He was also pleased with the opening of negotations for an Australian working holiday programme for young Lithuanians.
Foreign Minister Linkevičius presenting Lithuania's
heraldic flag to the Australian Lithuanian Community.
While in Melbourne Minister Linkevičius met Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, visited the Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute and spoke at the RMIT University on the “Changing Security Situation in Europe — New Challenges to the International Security Environment”.
In Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra he took the opportunity to meet up with the Australian Lithuanian Community at meetings which were very well attended. During his visit to Sydney Foreign Minister Linkevičius presented Lithuania's heraldic flag to the Australian Lithuanian community. In the photo with the flag we have (L-R) Giedrimas Jeglinskas (ALC Federal Executive member and MC for the evening), Eglė Garrick (Vice president of ALC Federal Executive), Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius (President of ALC Federal Executive), Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, Ginta Viliūnas (Lithuania's Honorary Consul-General in Sydney) and Egidijus Meilūnas (Lithuania's Ambassador to Australia).

Further information:
http://www.urm.lt/default/en/news/lithuanian-and-australian-foreign-ministers-discuss-bilateral-relations-and-key-international-policy-issues

http://www.urm.lt/default/en/news/linkevicius-discusses-development-of-ties-with-australian-politicians-and-business-representatives-

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/australia-needs-to-apply-political-isolation-towards-russia-says-visiting-lithuanian-foreign-minister-linas-linkevicius/story-fni0fit3-1227276069086