Energy, Legislation, Lithuania, Security, USA

Dalia Grybauskaite and John Boehner. Photo: lrp.lt

"The United States is Lithuania's important partner in energy security. More favorable conditions for the U.S. gas exports to Lithuania and other NATO member states would allow us to ensure the diversity of energy supply sources and competitive prices of gas to the people of Lithuania," the President said.

  
According to the President, U.S. gas is twice cheaper than gas in Western Europe and almost four times cheaper than gas in Lithuania. Legislation to facilitate the issue of permits for exports of natural gas to NATO allies is currently under consideration in the U.S. Congress.

  
Two years ago, Klaipėdos Nafta signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S energy giant Cheniere Energy Inc. regarding potential gas exports to Lithuania. The liquefied natural gas terminal in Klaipėda, planned to be launched next year, would enable procurement of gas from the United States as well.

  
The President reiterated her thanks for the U.S. support to Lithuania's safety requirements for the development of new nuclear power plants in the region. Lithuania seeks that new nuclear power plant projects underway in the Kaliningrad Region and Belarus are fully in line with internationally accepted safety standards.

Dalia Grybauskaitė emphasized further cooperation in the military security sphere.

"With the U.S. support we have achieved endorsement of NATO's concrete plans to defend the Baltic States and ensured their actual implementation. This is particularly important in view of intensifying militarization at the borders of the Baltic countries," the President said.

The result of the recently enhanced cooperation between Lithuania and the United States is the Vilnius-based NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence and the Nuclear Security Centre of Excellence in Medininkai. At the NATO Summit in Chicago last year, it was agreed to grant a permanent status to the NATO air policing mission in the Baltics.

Discussions with influential U.S. politicians touched upon the situation in the Eastern Partnership countries.