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The President of the Republic met with President Adamkus
05.10.2004


President Arnold Rüütel on Monday embarked on his state visit to the Republic of Lithuania and met in Vilnius with the Lithuanian Head of State, Valdas Adamkus.

The meeting between the Presidents and delegations addressed possibilities for both bilateral and regular cooperation in different fields, including energy and environmental issues and development of infrastructure. According to the tradition of state visits, an exchange of decorations took place: President Rüütel presented his Lithuanian counterpart with the Collar of the Order of the White Star, and President Adamkus the Estonian Head of State with the Collar of the Order of Vytautas the Great.

President Rüütel laid a wreath at the Cemetery of Antakalnis to commemorate those who died for the Lithuanian independence. The Deputy Speaker of the Lithuanian Saeima, Česlovas Juršenas, hosted a luncheon in honour of the Estonian Head of State and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel.

The President of the Republic visited the University of Vilnius, where he met with the University's Rector, Benediktas Juodka, together with Minister of Education and Research Toivo Maimets opened an Estonian language auditorium and talked with young people studying there.

The first day of the state visit ended with a state dinner in honour of the President of the Republic and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel hosted by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, and Mrs. Alma Adamkiene. In his address delivered at the dinner that took place at the Presidential Palace, President Rüütel expressed contentment with the fruitful and versatile cooperation between our two countries. "Attaching continuously importance to work for the protection of our common values and interests both in the European Union and NATO and other international organisations, and as a convinced patriot of Baltic cooperation, I would like to stress once again that we must neither underestimate nor neglect the Baltic cooperation," told the President of the Republic.

The Estonian Head of State in his address spoke highly of the possibility to major in Estonian language at the University of Vilnius. "It would be great, if we re-introduced the instruction of Lithuanian language and culture at the University of Tartu," President Rüütel added.

President Adamkus, too, in his address focused on close and multifaceted cooperation between Lithuania and Estonia. "It is important that we also in future supported each other in pursuing our main goals. We have been, are and will remain strategic partners," said the Lithuanian Head of State.

On Tuesday, President Rüütel is scheduled to meet with the Chairman of the Lithuanian Saeima, Arturas Paulauskas, to open an Estonian-Lithuanian business seminar and to attend the opening of an exhibition by sculptor Tarmo Kangro. Thereafter, the President of the Republic will visit the Airbase of Šiauliai and meet with Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas.

The state visit to Lithuania will end with a visit to the Town of Druskininkai on Wednesday.


Public Relations Unit of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, October 5, 2004


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