Russian Duma Deputies: Russia within Her Rights to Make Territorial Claims to Lithuania

Russian State Duma deputies Viktor Ilyukhin and Vladimir Nikitin announced today at parliamentary hearings on the Kaliningrad problem that 'if Lithuania isn't prepared to compromise with Russia over the Kaliningrad question, then we are within our rights to reject the Russian-Lithuanian border treaty'.

Duma deputies have suggested not ratifying the treaty until agreement has been reached on visa-free transit through Lithuania for all forms of Russian transport. In addition, the members of parliament noted, Russia is within her rights to make territorial claims to Lithuania concerning the Klaipeda Region, which belonged to the USSR during World War II.

Appearing at the hearings, Dmitrii Rogozin, the chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, stated that in the future there should be no visa barriers between Russia and the EU. The Russian Interior Ministry's Special Envoy, Valentin Bogomazov, declared that the EU only reluctantly makes contact with Russia at a time when 'extraordinary decisions are necessary'. He added that 'the EU merely talks about its intentions'.