Media release of 18 January 2008
Speaker of the Seimas Vikoras Muntianas met with U. S. Congressman John Shimkus. The importance of a visa-free regime between Lithuania and the USA was emphasised at the meeting.
Mr. Muntianas expressed his delight that Lithuania became member of the Schengen area as planned. Mr. Shimkus considered this fact to be an important aspect as regards a visa-free regime between both states. According to the Speaker of the Seimas, it is also an important aspect of liberal commercial and investment relations because business relations cannot prosper if movement is restricted by certain obstacles. Lithuania intensively and constructively follows the guidelines of the programme for lifting a visa regime; almost all requirements have been met.
Speaker of the Seimas Mr. Muntianas thanked for the U. S. contribution to NATO through patrolling the air space of the Baltic States: “The mission ensures that the entire NATO air space keeps uniform standards and guarantees sufficient security to all allies”. The Speaker of the Seimas stressed that it was very important to prolong the current patrolling of the NATO air space until 2018.
Lithuania’s contribution to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, which includes the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Chakhcharan, Ghor province, was also discussed at the meeting.
Secretariat of the Speaker of the Seimas
