In his meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates, acting Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas discussed bilateral Portugal-Lithuania relations in the EU, global economic crisis, national economic situation and energy issues.

Gediminas Kirkilas talked about energy security reinforcement projects in Lithuania, a new nuclear power station, power bridges to Sweden and Poland as well as projections for a LPG terminal. The Prime Minister asked for support regarding the Baltic Interconnection Plan providing for a Baltic integration in the EU energy market, as well as for Lithuania’s candidate applying for the post of director-general at the UNESCO.

The acting Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for Portugal’s Baltic air policing mission and for supporting Lithuania’s nomination of the OSCE presidency in 2011 as well as for the decisions of the Portuguese Presidency facilitating Lithuania’s accession to the Schengen area.

On EU-Russia relations, the acting Prime Minister pointed out that Russia is the largest EU neighbour; however the partnership has to be based on the principle of reciprocity and EU values. The Portuguese counterpart was convinced of the necessity to continue the dialogue with Russia.

One more item on the agenda was the issue of EU neighbourhood, which, according to Kirkilas, calls for EU attention in terms of support for the principles of democracy and transatlantic integration across the EU eastern neighbours.

At the end of the meeting, Gediminas Kirkilas thanked his counterpart for the cooperation during his term in office and invited the Portuguese Prime Minister to visit Lithuania in 2009, when Lithuania will be celebrating its millennium and Vilnius will be the European capital of culture.