President Valdas Adamkus received members of the non-governmental organization "Save the Baltic Sea!" who told him about the civil initiative to oppose the construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

Many experts believe that the offshore pipeline project poses a serious threat to the Baltic Sea environment because hazardous chemical weapons from World War II are still dumped at the bottom of the sea.

President Adamkus welcomed this important initiative by young people and encouraged them to bring it to fruition.

"Every day work and concerns have made society lose its focus on this international project and the construction of the offshore gas pipeline which may result in an environmental disaster having a negative impact on many countries of the Baltic region," Mr. Adamkus said.

President Adamkus has repeatedly raised this issue at EU summits and other highest-level meetings.

Valdas Adamkus pointed out that the participants of all similar movements in different countries should speak openly about the hazards of building the under-sea pipeline and should ask loudly who would compensate the damage incurred and how it would be done. Nobody has explained, he said, why the possibility of an alternative onshore pipeline route was never assessed and evaluated.

These questions should be discussed in essence and reflected in Lithuania's official position to be formulated before June 8 of this year when all nine Baltic Rim countries present their standpoints.

President Adamkus said that he thought highly of young people's involvement in discussing issues of vital importance to Lithuania and the international community.