Foreign_relations_of_Lithuania

Foreign relations of Lithuania

Foreign relations of Lithuania

Overview of the foreign relations of Lithuania


Lithuania is a European country located on the south-eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. It is a member of the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the World Trade Organisation. Currently, Lithuania maintains diplomatic relations with 186 states.[1] It became a member of the United Nations on 18 September 1991, and is a signatory to a number of its organizations and other international agreements. It is also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,[2] NATO and its adjunct North Atlantic Coordinating Council, the Council of Europe, and the European Union. Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization on 31 May 2001.

Lithuania's membership in the EU

On 1 May 2004, Lithuania became one of the 27 member states of the European Union. The EU activities affect different spheres of politics, from consumer rights to national defence matters. In the second half of 2013, Lithuania took presidency over the EU Council. Membership in the Union has strengthened the domestic economy, giving it access to the wide pan-European market. Foreign direct investments in Lithuania are growing. The country is poised to become energy-independent. The accession to the Schengen space in 2007 has opened up possibilities for the free movement of both citizens and goods across 25 European states. Lithuania's citizens enjoy equal social guarantees while working, travelling, or studying at the Community's countries. The country now benefits from additional EU fund and programme funding in the field of education and science. As an EU citizen, every citizen of Lithuania has the guarantee of consular assistance of EU representative offices in countries where Lithuania has none.[3]

Lithuania's membership in NATO

On 29 March 2004, Lithuania became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation[4] It is a defensive union based on political and military cooperation of sovereign states. Its members are committed to protecting freedom, guarding shared heritage and civilisation under the principles of democracy, individual freedom, and superiority of law. According to Article 5 of the agreement, all NATO states are obliged to defend one another. Lithuania entered into cooperation with NATO in 1991. Five years later, Lithuania launched its mission to the organisation, and in late 2002, Lithuania and six other states was invited to start negotiations over membership in the Alliance. Today Lithuania sees NATO as the key and most effective collective defence system, one that ensures the security of the state and stands to defer potential aggression, and employs every measure available to strengthen trans-Atlantic relations to contribute to the strengthening of the EU-U.S. relations.[5]

Lithuania as a part of the Northern Europe region

Lithuania is also an active member in the cooperation between Northern Europe countries. Lithuania is a member of the interparliamentary Baltic Assembly, the intergovernmental Baltic Council of Ministers and the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

Lithuania also cooperates with Nordic and other two Baltic countries through Nordic-Baltic Eight cooperation format. The similar format, called NB6 unites Nordic and Baltic countries members of EU. The main goal of NB6 cooperation is to discuss and agree on positions before presenting them in the Council of the European Union and the meetings of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers.

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) was established in 1992 in Copenhagen as an informal regional political forum, which main aim is to promote integration process and to affiliate close contacts between the countries of the region. The members of CBSS are Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and European Commission. The observer states are Belarus, France, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine.

The cooperation between the Nordic Council of Ministers and Lithuania is a political cooperation through which experience exchange contributes to realization of joint goals. One of its most important functions is to discover new trends and new possibilities for joint cooperation. The information office aims to represent Nordic concepts and demonstrate Nordic cooperation in Lithuania.

Lithuania, together with other two Baltic countries, is also a member of Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) and cooperates in NORDPLUS programme committed to education.[6]

Baltic Development Forum (BDF) is an independent nonprofit organization which unites large companies, cities, business associations and institutions in the Baltic Sea region. In 2010 the 12th Summit of the BDF was held in Vilnius.[7]

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Lithuania maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...

Multilateral

More information Organization, Formal Relations Began ...

Africa

More information Country, Formal relations (re)established ...

America

More information Country, Formal relations (re)established ...

Asia

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...

Europe

More information Country, Formal relations (re)established ...

Oceania

More information Country, Formal relations (re)established ...

Issues

Illicit drug trafficking

Lithuania has been a trans-shipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Russia, Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.[73]

Anti-terrorism

Lithuania is a signatory to 8 of the 12 International Conventions related to counter- terrorist activities[74]

Human trafficking

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that about 1,000 citizens of Lithuania fall victim to trafficking annually. Most are women between the ages of 21 and 30 who are sold into prostitution[75]

See also

Further reading


References

  1. "List of countries with which Lithuania has established diplomatic relations | Bilateral cooperation | Lithuania in the region and the world | Foreign policy | Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Archived from the original on 26 March 2014.
  2. "7 Invitees - Lithuania". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania". Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
  4. "Baltic Development Forum". Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
  5. "List of countries with which Lithuania has established diplomatic relations". Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  6. "Diplomatic Relations Between Lithuania and Mauritania as of 18 Sept. 1991". United Nations Digital Library. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  7. "Relations between Mexico and Lithuania (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  8. "Embassy of Mexico in Sweden". Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  9. Vilius Ivanauskas; et al. "Lietuvos ir JAV santyki perspektyvos" [Perspectives of Lithuanian-US relations] (PDF). Eastern Europe Studies Centre (in Lithuanian). Vilnius. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  10. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  11. "Kazakh embassy in Vilnius". Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  12. Dizaino Kryptis. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  13. "HONORARY CONSULATE OF LITHUANIA" (PDF). Honorary Consulate of Lithuania, Kuala Lumpur. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  14. "외교통상부에 오신것을 환영합니다". Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  15. Österreich, Außenministerium der Republik. "About Us". www.bmeia.gv.at. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  16. "LR ambasada Austrijos Respublikoje". Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  17. "Belarusian embassy in Vilnius". belarus.lt. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008.
  18. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 10 May 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  19. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 30 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  20. "Bulgarian embassy in Vilnius". Archived from the original on 26 September 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Šventojo Sosto ir Lietuvos Respublikos sutartys". Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  23. "Lietuvos ir Šventojo Sostų diplomatinių santykių atnaujinimo 25 metinės". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  24. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  25. "Seimas nutarė pripažinti Kosovo Respublikos nepriklausomybę (Seimas recognizes Republic of Kosovo's independence)". Parliament (Seimas) official proceedings (in Lithuanian). 6 May 2008. Archived from the original on 3 June 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  26. "Vyriausybė užmegs diplomatinius santykius su Kosovu". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). Vilnius, Lithuania: Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija. (Lithuanian national radio and television). Archived from the original on 16 September 2008.
  27. Žigaras F., Baltijos šalių institucinis bendradarbiavimas 1990–2010 m. Vilnius, 2012, 16.
  28. "Geopolitika – Lietuvos ir Latvijos bendradarbiavimo perspektyvos". geopolitika.lt. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  29. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  30. "Lietuvos Respublikos ir Lenkijos Respublikos draugiškų santykių ir gero kaimyninio bendradarbiavi..." e-seimas.lrs.lt. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  31. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  32. "Romanian embassy in Vilnius". Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  33. "Lietuvos ir Rusijos santykiai". www3.lrs.lt. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  34. Lietuvos Taikos Sutartis su Rusija, Vyriausybės žinios, 1920-11-30, nr. 53, psl. 1–11.
  35. "Sutartis tarp Rusijos Tarybų Federacinės Socialistinės Respublikos ir Lietuvos Respublikos "Dėl t..." e-seimas.lrs.lt. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  36. "Index of /". www.rusemb.lt. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  37. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  38. "LR AMBASADA UKRAINOJE". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  39. "Посольство України в Литовській Республіці". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  40. "UK and Lithuania". Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  41. Dizaino Kryptis. "Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija – Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  42. "Embassy of Lithuania in Canberra". Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  43. "Drug issues in the Baltics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
  44. "Internet / Home – INTERPOL" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  45. "Human Trafficking in the Baltics". Archived from the original on 10 November 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2006.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Foreign_relations_of_Lithuania, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.