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Japan-Lithuania Foreign Ministerial Meeting

May 25, 2009

For about 30 minutes from around 1:30 p.m. on May 25, 2009 (JST), Minister of Foreign Affairs Hirofumi Nakasone took the occasion of the ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting to hold a meeting with Mr. Vygaudas Usackas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, in Hanoi. The summary of their conversation is as follows:

1. Foreign Minister Nakasone stated the importance of encouraging people-to-people exchange between Japan and Lithuania to further strengthen the good relations between the two countries that have continued up to now. As a part of people-to-people exchange, he expressed his expectations that the Lithuanian candidate who has been accepted into this fiscal year's Japanese-Language Program for Foreign-Service Officers will become well acquainted with the Japanese language and culture through their studies, and will thereby build a bridge between the two countries for the future development of good relations.
   
   In response, Foreign Minister Usackas conveyed his gratitude for the acceptance of the Lithuanian candidate, mentioning that a large number of Japanese tourists have visited Lithuania in recent years, and expressed his wish for further reinforcement of relations between the two countries through such exchange.
2. With regard to Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Usackas stated that Lithuania, although a small country, is giving its utmost efforts to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and acknowledged that on the 23rd, a member of Japan's development assistance coordination team had arrived at the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan PRT. He also expressed his willingness for continued close cooperation on the PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team).
   
   Foreign Minister Nakasone followed by stating Japan's intention to proactively provide assistance for maintenance of security in Afghanistan, as well as in the humanitarian and reconstruction fields. He went on to confirm Foreign Minister Usackas's statement that, two days earlier, the development assistance coordination personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had arrived at the Lithuania-led Chaghcharan PRT. He expressed his willingness to cooperate with Lithuania in responding to the local needs in Afghanistan in education, medicine, and other fields, and stated the importance of advancing efforts for the whole region, especially Pakistan when pursuing the stability of Afghanistan. From this perspective, he underscored the importance of reliably implementing pledges of over US$ 5 billion at the Pakistan Donors Conference and Friends of Democratic Pakistan Group Ministerial Meeting held in Japan in April.
   
   
3. On North Korea's announcement that it had conducted a nuclear test, Foreign Minister Nakasone stated that such a nuclear test clearly violated United Nations Security Council resolutions, represent a grave challenge to the NPT regime, and as such was totally unacceptable and should be strongly condemned.
   
   In response, Foreign Minister Usackas expressed his complete agreement with Foreign Minister Nakasone that North Korea should be strongly criticized.