Russian and Lithuanian defense ministers come to terms on developing bilateral cooperation

The Russian and Lithuanian defense ministers have come to terms on developing cooperation between their ministries, they told journalists after their negotiations on Monday.

The main topics on the agenda were future plans of bilateral cooperation, organizing joint seminars and meetings for preparing military men, especially those taking part in peacekeeping operations, as well as military-political problems, Sergei Ivanov said. He also discussed with his Lithuanian counterpart the problem of the Kaliningrad region, Russia's enclave in the Baltic, that after Lithuania joins the EU will be separated from Russia by the Schengen zone, which worries everyone. They discussed the transit from the region, including the military one, Ivanov said.

"We do not want the Kaliningrad region to become a fortress in the European mind, an ecological or other threat," Ivanov stressed, saying that he and his guest had agreed to solve the problem together.

Linas Linkevicius in his turn added that he had invited the Russian defense minister to take part in the traditional exercises "Amber hope" held in Lithuania.

Both minister believe there are no obstacles for the normal cooperation between the two ministries.