Lithuania in the News
14th February, 2007
Important USA Visit by President Adamkus
President Adamkus and Mrs. Adamkus being received at the White House
by President Bush and Mrs. Bush.
Photo courtesy President of Lithuania website
President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania has just completed a week long visit to the United States of America. There he had a meeting with American President George W. Bush, during which the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was also present, visited Congress and the Senate and met up with a host of American political leaders, including Vice-president Richard Cheney, Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Joseph Lieberman, and many others. President Bush declared his appreciation for Lithuania’s efforts in helping solve international problems. They discussed Lithuania’s relations with Russia and Belarus, including Russian President Vladimir Putin’s confrontational words at the recent Munich Security Conference. During the visit much attention was devoted to energy security strategy for Lithuania and the introduction of visa-free entry to the USA for Lithuanians, which President Bush strongly supported.
In San Francisco President Adamkus addressed the influential World Affairs Council, while in Washington he addressed the Woodrow Wilson Centre and the National Press Club.
The plaque immortalising President Bush’s words.
It is affixed to the Vilnius City Hall, on the steps of which President Bush made his declaration
In Washington he laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery.
Concluding his USA visit President Adamkus declared that it had been a very intense and exceptionally successful visit. No Baltic leader has so far been accorded so much attention by the American Government. Lithuanians still remember the visit of President Bush to Lithuania in November 2002, just before Lithuania received the formal invitation to join NATO, when he declared: "Anyone who would choose Lithuania as an enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America".

Further information:
President of Lithuania website www.adamkus.lt
Lietuvos Rytas www.lrytas.lt 8-14/02/07