On 16–17 September 2012, Emanuelis Zingeris, Chairman of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, paid a visit to Iceland where he attended a traditional meeting of Chairmen of Foreign Affairs Committees of the Nordic and Baltic States.

At the meeting, the Chairman of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs voiced hope that Iceland would have concluded EU accession negotiations by the end of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in December 2013. He emphasised that the Arctic policy which was relevant to the Nordic countries, Iceland in particular, should be included among the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council, while seeking to overcome the economic and financial crisis, the European Union should make use of the successful methods for economic recovery employed by the Baltic States and Iceland.

During the official ceremony following the meeting at the Icelandic Parliament (Althingi), Emanuelis Zingeris presented Edda Gudmundsdottir, widow of Steingrimur Hermannsson, former Prime Minister of Iceland, with a badge of honour Lithuanian Diplomacy Star granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania which was awarded posthumously to Steingrimur Hermannsson for his contribution into strengthening Lithuania’s Independence and anchoring its international recognition.

Ramūnas Misiulis, Head, Office of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, tel: +370 5 239 6798