Lithuanian president welcomes ratification of agreement on Russian-Lithuanian border

Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas welcomes the Russian State Duma's decision to ratify the agreement on the Russian-Lithuanian border, the press service of the Lithuanian President has announced.

He believes this decision will improve Russian-Lithuanian economic, political, social and cultural relations, the press service reported.

Mr. Paksas also believes that realisation of the agreements between Russia and the European Union will help resolving the Kaliningrad transit issue /Kaliningrad is Russia's enclave in the Baltic/, expand regional cooperation between Russia, Lithuania and other neighbouring countries.

Lithuanian politicians also highly appreciated ratification of the agreement on the Russian-Lithuanian border and the agreement between the Russian Federation and Lithuania on delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the Baltic Sea.

Lithuanian Ambassador to Russia Rimantas Sidlauskas, who in the late 1990s headed Lithuania's national delegation at the negotiations on border cooperation with Russia, stated that ratification of the agreement would mark a step towards normalisation of complicated Russian-Lithuanian relations.

Chaiman of the State Duma international committee on Lithuanian seim affairs Gediminas Kirkilas also welcomes ratification of the set of documents. "The fact that Russia observes the earlier reached agreements is very important. It certainly increases confidence in Russian-Lithuanian relations and settlement of the Kaliningrad problem," the Lithuanian MP stated at a press conference.