Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Lithuania

Linas Linkevicius and Catherine Ashton. Brussels, 23.07.2013. Photo: urm.lt

"The meeting was very positive. In the run-up to the Eastern Partnership Summit, Lithuania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union holds consultations with the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy regularly, and chairs the EU foreign ministers' meetings," Linkevicius said.

The informal meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers will be held in Vilnius on 6 and 7 September. Such meetings are held twice a year in the member state holding the Presidency of the EU Council in cooperation with the European External Action Service. This time, the agenda of the informal meeting includes neighbourhood issues with particular focus on the Eastern Partnership initiative and a discussion on defence policy.

Linkevicius and Ashton discussed results of the Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels on 22 July, as well as agreed further practical steps to prepare for the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius on November 28 and 29.