Lithuania » International Relations

The Lithuania's Relations with Neighbours

Lithuania's relations with Russia were normalised with the signing of the Agreement on the Foundations of Inter-State Relations on 29 July 1991. The extraction of Russian troops from Lithuanian territory was completed on 31 August 1993. The problem of civilian and military transit to and from the Russian region of Kaliningrad (now an ‘exclave') was resolved in early 1995. Negotiations over travel through Lithuania in the context of its EU membership resulted in the introduction of the Facilitated Rail Transit Document (FRTD) which generally seems to be working well. An important step forward in relations with Russia was the signature of a border agreement on 24 October 1997.

Lithuania was the first former Soviet republic to conclude such an agreement. The Lithuanian Parliament ratified the agreement in October 1999 and the Duma (Russian Parliament) ratified the agreement in 2003. In May 2003 Lithuania and Russia signed a re-admission agreement. Lithuania has agreed its land borders with Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Russia. The maritime border with Russia (Kaliningrad) remains undetermined. An agreement on the demarcation of the maritime border with Latvia was signed in July 1999. The Baltic States have developed a wide network of co-operation. Inter-governmental co-operation is managed in the framework of the Baltic Council of Ministers. Heads of State and Government meet regularly - at least once a year. Co-operation focuses on areas such as trade, economic relations and EU/NATO integration.

The Lithuania's Relations with International Community

Lithuania's superseding foreign policy goal had been full membership of Western institutions. EU Accession negotiations began in 2002. A referendum on EU membership, held on 10 and 11 May 2003, yielded an irresistible result in favour of accession, with just over 91% in support. Lithuania formally acceded to the EU on 1 May 2004. Lithuania was invited to join NATO at the summit in Prague in November 2002. This completed several years of preparation for NATO membership, including participation in the Membership Action Plan (MAP) process. The path to membership had been set out at summits in Madrid in July 1997 and Washington in April 1999. Lithuania has participated enthusiastically in NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Since 1994, Lithuanian military personnel have participated in UNPROFOR, IFOR, SFOR, KFOR and EUFOR operations in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo. Lithuanian troops have also been engaged with MNF-I, OED and NTM-I in Iraq since 2003. In May 2005 Lithuania assumed responsibility for a multinational Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Ghowr Province of Afghanistan. Lithuania joined the OSCE in 1991 and has been an associate partner of the WEU since 1994.

Trade And Investment With UK

The British Embassy opened in Vilnius in October 1991 and new, owned premises were formally inaugurated in April 1994. Britain's relations with Lithuania remain close and friendly. Lithuania benefited from many programmes under DFID's bilateral programme (former Know How Fund), which ended in 2003. The UK continues to have a small bilateral programme (the 'EU Action Plan') which aims to further enhance both Government and civil society capabilities with working in the EU context.

Lithuania is the largest UK export market in the Baltic States and in 2004 was our 73rd largest market with the value of goods totalling £140.8m. The main UK exports were textile yarn, fabrics, and articles of apparel and clothing accessories, telecommunications and power generating machinery. The main Lithuanian imports to the UK are ores and metal scrap, clothing, furniture and fertilisers.