Friday, August 24, Vilnius–President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is on a visit to Lithuania. Relations between Israel and the European Union, Middle East peace process, global enhancement of peace and stability and the situation in Syria and Iran were discussed at the meeting.

The president underscored that Lithuania was interested in strengthening close political and economic relations with Israel, one of the most innovative and progressive state in the world. Lithuania is a firm supporter of dialogue between Israel and the European Union and welcomes the decision to reconvene the EU-Israel Association Council.

Unfortunately, the international community regards certain issues pertaining to relations with Israel controversial. Lithuania consistently upholds the position of the UN and the EU that peace in the Middle East can be assured only by way of negotiations when a decision based on coexistence of the two states is reached. The status of Jerusalem is an integral part of such two-state solution package.

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