President Zatlers congratulated the Lithuanian President on assuming her post as head of state and thanked her for choosing Latvia as one of the first countries for a working visit. According to President Zatlers, it not only demonstrated a continuing political and economic unity between the two countries, but also suggested that Lithuania and Latvia would carry on their close cooperation.

During the meeting, President Grybauskaitė underlined that both countries, Lithuania and Latvia, were bound not only by geographic neighborhood, but also by their common political, economic and cultural objectives.

The President underscored the necessity to coordinate joint decisions and actions when speaking to EU member states. She further said that the Baltic and Nordic countries should participate much more actively in the process of deciding topical EU issues and coordinate more effectively their foreign policies on important issues.

President Zatlers accentuated the need for developing the Baltic Sea energy strategy in the European Union.

President Grybauskaitė pointed out that Lithuania would focus on cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) and on expanding and strengthening cooperation ties among NB8 group countries within the European Union in matters of shared interest.

As of July 1, Lithuania has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė, together with President Valdis Zatlers, laid flowers at the Freedom Monument as a gesture of respect for the people of Latvia.

Today President Grybauskaitė will meet with Speaker of the Parliament of Latvia Gundars Daudze and Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė will return to Vilnius today afternoon.