Azernews.Az

VILNIUS – Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has started an official visit to Azerbaijan as part of her tour of the South Caucasus, in an effort by the OSCE chairing country to aid settlement of the region’s long-lasting conflicts, Lithuanian official sources said.

In a one-on-one meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on Monday, the two countries stressed the successful development of bilateral relations. Presidents Aliyev and Grybauskaite said high-level mutual visits were important for strengthening Lithuanian-Azerbaijani ties, citing extensive potential to further expand cooperation in the fields including politics, economics and humanitarian aid.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues.

President Grybauskaite is due to meet other Azerbaijani officials as well. Talks are expected to focus on prospects for closer cooperation, including in the energy and transport sectors. In particular, the parties are to discuss collaboration on the Viking project, which envisions transporting cargo by rail between south-eastern Asia and Europe through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus. Lithuania is the initiator and participant of the project, Russia’s state news agency Itar-Tass reported.

The two countries may also mull Azerbaijan’s energy supplies to European markets, including Lithuania, analysts say.

During her talks in Baku Grybauskaite will also discuss ways of boosting Lithuanian-Azerbaijani trade, which is currently insignificant. Bilateral trade turnover made up only $28.2 million in 2010, according to official estimates.

According to Lithuanian official sources, the main goal of Grybauskaite’s visit is to discuss "frozen" conflicts in the South Caucasus region with the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Georgian presidents.

Ahead of her visit to the South Caucasus, Grybauskaite said only a peaceful settlement of the regional conflicts "reached in the course of constructive negotiations" would ensure long-term stability in the volatile region, Novosti Azerbaijan news agency reported.

She pointed out that achieving progress in the resolution of protracted conflicts was one of the top priorities for the Lithuanian OSCE chairmanship. "During my visits to the South Caucasus I will call upon the leaders of the regional countries to be more open for resolving the existing differences."

Grybauskaite’s agenda in Azerbaijan will also include issues of democratic development, the country’s closer integration into European institutions, including that as part of Eastern Partnership, a program aiming to boost the EU’s cooperation with its ex-Soviet partners.