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Lithuanian ambassador Kestutis Kudzmanas: â€œWe support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and it is an issue that can not be questioned under any circumstancesâ€ - PHOTOSESSION

13 January 2011 09:37 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Viktoria Dementyeva â€“ APA. APAâ€™s interview with Lithuaniaâ€™s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan Kestutis Kudzmanas

-How do you evaluate the level of the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Lithuania?

-Our embassy was opened in spring, 2007. Azerbaijanâ€™s embassy was opened in Lithuania the same year. It gave an impetus to the development of these relations. The leaders of the two countries paid a number of visits within these years. The opening of the embassy gave impetus to the establishment of the cooperation between the businessmen of two countries, development of tourism. Our relations can be characterized as multilateral, the spheres of cooperation are extending. The foundation of the political, cultural and economic cooperation was laid between our countries. Azerbaijanis have recently rediscovered Lithuania and Lithuanians Azerbaijan. There were times when the sides were busy with their problems. We were entering the European Union, World Trade Organization. It was necessary to establish the economy on new standards, new legal norms were being applied. The process of integration took much time. I do not want to say that our relations were stopped, but having been admitted to the European Union we had more opportunities and we began to restore our previous relations with our neighbors, with which we once shared the same space. Our peoples know each other. As I have already said, the relations between the business structures, businessmen have strengthened. This is not only connected with import-export, a lot of Azerbaijanis are visiting Lithuanian sanatoriums. Lithuaniaâ€™s tourism has become attractive for Azerbaijanis. Lithuania, like Azerbaijan has deep and ancient culture. Health tourism has widely spread in Lithuania.

The exchange of delegations on the political level has been intensive recently, intergovernmental commission has been established, it has had a strong influence on the development of the bilateral relations. Concrete tasks have been put before various ministries and bodies within the framework of the commission, joint contracts signed, there is exchange of experience, almost all ministries have their partners. Azerbaijan has chosen Lithuania as a partner even in the twinning programmes of the EU Eastern Partnership policy. In the first program the Azerbaijani parliament chose Lithuanian parliament for the exchange of experience, within the framework of the second project our Special Investigations Service is cooperating and exchanging experience with the Department to Combat Corruption under Azerbaijanâ€™s Prosecutor Generalâ€™s Office.

This is a two-year project, and one year has passed and these projects will be finished this year.

Along with these large-scale projects, we exchange experience with Azerbaijani diplomats in the fields of WTO and coordination of all legal acts with EU requirements. This experience will be very interesting for you.

I am also glad that the political approach between the leaders of our countries has a positive impact also on the cooperation in other spheres. Azerbaijan shows its interest to Lithuanian market, especially service and tourism. Lithuania is also interested in industry of software, conversion of provisions, agriculture and tree conversion sector.

The volume of trade turnover between our countries is not so great, but every year it increases for 30-40 per cent. That is why the development rate of the turnover is very high.

- Did the world financial crisis influence on the volume of trade turnover?

- The crisis influenced on the Lithuanian economy. We observed the decrease tendency in the development of Lithuanian economy in 2008 â€“ 2009. But this year the economy began to restore. Lithuania is famous for its high technological products, software, chemical industry, biochemistry, laser products. As an exporter country we depend from neighboring markets, but now we are in rapid recovery process.

- You have reminded about the Azerbaijan-Lithuania intergovernmental commission. When the commission will hold its next meeting? What issues are considered to be discussed in the meeting?

- Last year we held commissionâ€™s meeting in Vilnius. This year probably we will hold next meeting in Baku in May. The various issues, for example the environmental problems will be discussed at the meeting. Lithuania has an experience in water purification, utilization of wastes. The country uses special ratios on waste segregation and utilization. I know that our experience is very interesting for Azerbaijan. We also plan to discuss the issues of economic cooperation, banking sector, education, health, trade development. Sometimes the issue touched upon at the meeting doesnâ€™t find its solution during one year. But there is considerable development in all spheres after the intergovernmental commission had established. The spectrum of exported products to both countries is broadened, the specialists exchanged their experiences between each other, and the cooperation is strengthened.

Azerbaijanâ€™s experience is also interesting for us, because your country is a leader of the region in many fields. Azerbaijanâ€™s stable policy in the region is a good example of development in such unstable region. The Lithuanians who came to Azerbaijan talk with enthusiasm about your countryâ€™s high development.
Grandiose infrastructure projects are carried out in Baku, bridges and houses are constructed and this movement causes deep impression. It is seen not only in Baku, but in the regions as well. I had a chance to take part in an interesting bicycle race early September and together with Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov we overcame 400 km and I saw new roads, new kindergartens, new sport complexes and new plants throughout Azerbaijan. It is important to attach great attention not only to the development of the capital city, but also all regions. It creates deep impression and not all countries can be proud of that.

- How do you value energy cooperation between our countries?

- There is strong cooperation between Azerbaijan and Lithuania in the fields of healthcare, construction, architecture and education, but energy cooperation has not been developed so intensively. Lithuania also is an oil country and we have oil refinery. Lithuania refines 12 million tonnes of oil per year. Its terminals have annual capacity of 15-20 million tonnes. We have already started construction of LNG terminal. Oil production scale is not so large and it is only onshore production. Lithuania and Azerbaijan participate in Sarmatia project. Lithuania is one of the initiators of the energy forums in Krakow, Vilnius, Baku and Kiev. Diversification of energy supply to Europe and united energy policy of Europe is one of the Lithuaniaâ€™s foreign policy priorities. It is better to have alternative resources. Therefore we positively appreciate any alternative energy source and welcome Azerbaijanâ€™s energy supply to Europe within the framework of different projects.

- What is level of cultural cooperation between the countries?

- Azerbaijan and Lithuania have intensive cultural exchange. Your mugham and jazz performers attend our festivals and Lithuanian artists visit Azerbaijan. World-known Lithuanian pianist Muza Rubackyte will perform concert in Baku in February on the occasion of Lithuaniaâ€™s Independence Day. It creates good background for our relations.

I see very large prospects for cooperation in the educational field. There are very good universities in Lithuania, for example Vilnius University, which was established more than 500 years ago. Our embassy signed Memorandum of Cooperation with Heydar Aliyev Foundation and one of its clauses is cooperation in the educational sphere. We have sent tens of students to Lithuania last year within this cooperation. We are going to send Azerbaijani students to Lithuania this year too. I can underline education, architecture, construction, radio-electronics and IT among the most popular professions in our country. Education is an investment in future and link united our countries. Extension of educational exchange will have an impact on strengthening of relations between our countries.

- Lithuania will take over OSCE Presidency this yearâ€¦

- Of course, we will continue our cooperation in plane of our OSCE chairmanship as well. Several events are considered to hold this year within the OSCE framework. Much attention will be given to Azerbaijan, South Caucasus connected with Nagorno Karabakh conflict. All conflicts are the part of processes inside the OSCE and Lithuania has announced settlement of protracted conflicts as one of its priorities during the OSCE chairmanship. Our President Dalia GrybauskaitÄ— scheduled to visit Azerbaijan for close acquaintance with your country, searching ways of acceleration of the progress in the negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh conflict. This visit will be realized in May. Before her, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuaniaâ€™s Foreign Minister Audronius AÅ¾ubalis will pay visit to Azerbaijan in the first week of March. This will be a visit to the region â€“ Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on protracted conflicts Gedryus Chekuolis will visit Azerbaijan on February 22-24. We will seek ways for achievement of progress in the settlement of this conflict.

- There is also a provision related to protracted conflicts among the priorities of Lithuaniaâ€™s Chairmanship of OSCE. According to Chekuolis, it is hard to tell that any revolution will occur during this period, but chairing country will endeavour to settle this conflict. What are your prognoses?

- It is difficult to forespeak anything about it, because OSCE is an organization. Chairing country can pay attention to any issue more. Lithuania is neutral country. That is, it can raise any issue without chelating, because it does not incline to any of the sides. Lithuania maybe more objective, and our strength is in it. We see and understand that not only conflicting sides, but also neighboring countries are interested in establishment of stability as well. Thus, this conflict does not belong only to two sides. We are interested in the solution of this conflict. The OSCE achieves the progress by little steps. As diplomats say â€“ nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. But our purpose is to achieve progress in the process, move it from the dead point. We try to achieve more transparency and objectiveness in this process. And one must not delay the issues that need to be solved today.

- What is the position of Lithuania on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

- Lithuania has repeatedly expressed its position at different levels and our position does not differ from what is expressed in the UN Security Council resolutions. We support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and it is an issue that can not be questioned under any circumstances.