A geopolitical nexus bridging East and West

Date: 23/05/1996

As a Baltic Sea state, Lithuania finds itself at the crossroads of rapprochement. Ambassador Jonas Cicäcinskas explains his country's commitment to improving political stability and economic development in the region through cooperation.

GOTLAND - a small Swedish island - has great sentimental value in Lithuanian politics.

In 1989, top representatives of all the Lithuanian political groups - including those in power and fierce opposition, functioning in Lithuania and abroad - met in Gotland and signed the declaration recognising their common goal of

re-establishing the independent state of Lithuania.

Perhaps few of them thought about this becoming a reality in a year or so, but the very clear determination was there.

At the beginning of this month, Visby - situated on Gotland - witnessed a summit of countries from around the Baltic Sea, as the leaders of Lithuania and Poland, Germany and Denmark, Russia and Estonia came together to put the region on the map of a changing Europe.

This first-ever regional summit has revitalised discussions on the past, present and future of the Baltic Sea on a European or even transatlantic scale.

“The most important thing at the Visby meeting was that we were sitting together,” concluded German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in a simple but solid manner. The first step in bringing grand visions or simple projects to life is to sit together and talk before doing anything.

No matter how different in symbolism and scale the two events were, they both prove that only will-power makes the difference. During the Cold War, the Baltic Sea divided the region in very much the same way as the Berlin Wall. Today it presents us with both challenges and unique opportunities.

In Lithuania, we are strongly committed to the revival and deepening of historical links between the Baltic Sea states. The Hanseatic League was not a legend or medieval dream. With a common heritage, geographic proximity and very often common - Baltic - concerns, we are bound to restore and expand this cultural and trading area of unusual dynamism.

The Baltic Sea region is also the place where Russia directly meets the European Union. There is much talk these days about the dangers of isolating Russia from European or transatlantic processes. And where else could we find an area asking for, and inviting us all, to undertake the hard job of overcoming prejudices of the past and building a stable and prosperous future?

Lithuania finds herself at the cross-roads of rapprochement, where nations of diverse histories, cultures and economic development are moving closer together.

In this regard, Lithuania holds considerable potential as a geopolitical nexus between the spheres of European integration. As part of the Baltic Sea region, Lithuania, together with Poland, forms a natural link between the states of the Baltic Sea, Central Europe and the states to the east.

In my opinion, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), meetings of the five Nordic and three Baltic representatives (such as the recent meeting of the Nordic Council and the Baltic Assembly in Vilnius) and regular trilateral meetings of Baltic officials demonstrate that in countries bordering the Baltic Sea, there exists the political will and organisational capabilities to pursue the goals of closer coordination and cooperation in the region.

The Visby meeting, as expected, took stock of practical measures and actions to achieve the common goals of political stability and economic development in the the Baltic Sea area.

Indeed, more action and better coordination are needed in the generally agreed priority fields of cooperation, such as border crossing facilities, information and transport infrastructure, energy and nuclear safety, environment protection and combating international crime.

The Baltic Sea Region Initiative prepared by the European Commission indicates a strong determination to take greater responsibility in building the future of the area.

Looking at the outcome of the summit, some issues are worthy of special mention.

Development of the transport systems in the region is a high priority for Lithuania. The Commission's Baltic Sea Initiative paid particular attention to the further implementation of the transport project Via Baltica. The fact that the Commission is ready to co-finance the link between Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas and Warsaw was welcomed by Lithuania.

In cooperation with the Baltic Ports Organisation and Phare, Klaipëda seaport will be further modernised. Its importance as a major transport link between the countries of the Baltic Sea and western Europe, and those to the east of Lithuania, notably Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and even Kazakhstan, has been widely acknowledged.

The idea of a 'Baltic Ring' of electricity, involving all the countries around the Baltic sea, also deserves recognition.

For Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, it would not only serve as an outlet - non-existent as yet - allowing the Baltic states to enter the electric energy market in western Europe, but would also create an alternative source of energy supply for which there is a vital need.

Nuclear safety is an acute concern, for there are a few nuclear plants around the Baltic Sea. The Ignalina plant, being among the biggest in Europe, attracts more than regional attention. Bilateral and multilateral programmes therefore focus on the strengthening of regulatory safety regimes, as well as operational and immediate improvements to this nuclear plant.

The Nordic countries are very active in this respect. The same can be said of the numerous waste-water treatment and air pollution prevention projects now being implemented.

The recent joint declaration from the Lithuanian and Polish presidents giving support to the idea of creating a Nemunas Euro-region would foster new forms of regional and cross-border cooperation.

The new law on the special economic zone for the Kaliningrad district (oblast) also demonstrates a new approach to regional cooperation and - as observed in the Visby presidency declaration - “will contribute to trade liberalisation and economic development in the Baltic Sea region as a whole”.

These and many other issues cannot be addressed adequately without an atmosphere of good neighbourliness. Around the Baltic Sea, we represent the 'near abroad' for each other. Lithuania is one of the few countries in Central and Eastern Europe that has completed agreements with all its neighbours, including the recent entry into force of such an accord with Belarus.

Our country's historic rapprochement and ever closer links with Poland are the best proof of Lithuania's willingness to base its foreign policy on the principles of European integration. These developments enabled the country to contribute actively to the Stability Pact, the first joint action under the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Good neighbourly relations, besides being an end in themselves, are an indication of one of the top priorities in Lithuania's foreign policy - an inclination for regional as well as multilateral cooperation.

Lithuania has supported the idea of a summit of EU and associated countries put forward by Warsaw last year. It is also interested in the idea of having a meeting of associated Central and East European countries to discuss common issues on enlargement and related matters. In my view, regional elaboration and reflections might be useful and much welcomed, even before the enlargement of the Union commences.

Different voices are heard in the Baltics and elsewhere on cooperation between Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Since the three started from the same point and are heading in the same direction, I do not believe individual actions should be given preference over multilateral cooperation when integrating with the wider Europe.

The Union is based both on compromise and interdependence. We must begin cultivating this idea more actively among the Baltic trio. A meeting of the three presidents in Vilnius at the end of May will mark yet another attempt to harmonise the Baltic accord.

Just as there are no two sets of European integration principles, I do not believe in varying security or stability concepts - with one for the EU and another for the Baltic Sea region.

There is one Euro-Atlantic stability. The peaceful and prosperous development of the Baltic Sea region is an integral and indispensable part of that.

Some time ago, Carl Bildt (the then Swedish prime minister) wrote about the 'Baltic litmus test' which would provide pointers to the future development of Europe. What can be more promising than for political masters from around the Baltic Sea to 'sit together' on a small Baltic island under the motto of 'stability, prosperity and solidarity'?

As I see it, the litmus paper is turning the right colour.

After a long academic career at Vilnius University, Professor Jonas ääCiäcinskas was appointed head of the mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the EU in November last year.