LITHUANIA COMMITS ITSELF TO BE READY FOR EU MEMBERSHIP IN 2004.

The national government has stepped up preparatory work ahead of detailed membership talks with the European Union, to be kicked off next Tuesday, in order to be ready to enter the bloc from January 1, 2004, the press service of government said in a statement. The Lithuanian Cabinet has pledged to pursue the line of action in favour of nation_s economic welfare, to continue indispensable economic reforms and to ensure further reorganisation of its key sectors. In 2000, Lithuania has entered a new phase of relationship with the European Union and stands a chance of utilising essentially new financial instruments and more extensive resources. The EU support, meant for the regional development and agriculture, is being converted from technical assistance into investment projects. In the statement Cabinet affirmed it viewed its activity program as aspiration to adopt and consolidate effective and modern practices which had found justification in Europe, and to ensure respect for the generally accepted values -- related to democracy, human rights and well-functioning market economy -in Lithuania.