VILNIUS, Oct 22, BNS–Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite said in an interview to Israeli media that it is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s deeds, not words that should be taken into consideration.

She spoke when asked by i24news.tv to advise Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the relations with Russia.

“Usually our experience with today’s Russia led by Mr. Putin, we usually say ‘don’t believe what they say, just try to check what they do’,” the Lithuanian president said, adding that Putin’s actions in Syria is not a war against the Islamic State but an attempt to support the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

A delegation of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) and the Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR) met with Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaitė in Tel Aviv Wednesday morning. The meeting was also attended by Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevičius.

Grybauskaitė told the WJC-ICFR delegation: “Our society acknowledges its history. Our Jewish heritage is part of the heritage of Lithuania. Our support for Israel comes automatically. We understand what is going on in the Middle East, and we coordinate our position with the United States.”

WJC CEO Robert Singer praised strong relations between Israel and Lithuania, saying: “Lithuania’s support is much appreciated.”

Singer also raised the issue of neo-Nazi rallies held each year in Vilnius and Kaunas and said the Jewish world was “very distressed by this phenomenon, especially given the tragic history of Lithuanian Jewry.”

Grybauskaitė agreed that this was a problem but said it was difficult for the government to act unless the groups involved openly used Nazi symbols or explicitly espoused anti-Semitism and racism. She assured the delegation that this was an entirely marginal phenomenon. “They make lots of noise, but represent very few people.”

In recent years, Lithuania has tried to foster good relations with the World Jewish Congress Israel. In an address to a WJC-ICFR event last month, Lithuanian prime minister Algirdas Butkevičius pledged that all Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania would be “memorialized and marked” by the end of 2017.

In 2014 the World Jewish Congress established the WJC International Yiddish Center in Vilnius aimed at promoting cultural treasures created in Yiddish and the continuity of Yiddish learning and research.

Dalia Grybauskaitė took office as Lithuanian head of state in 2009 and was re-elected in 2014. She previously served as a government minister and was Lithuania’s first European Commission commissioner between 2004 and 2009.

In the picture above (from left to right): ICFR Board member professor Dina Porat, WJC Steering Committee member Eduardo Elsztain, WJC CEO Robert Singer, president Dalia Grybauskaitė, ICFR Board member Colette Avital, chairwoman of the Lithuanian Jewish Community Faina Kukliansky. Photo courtesy of World Jewish Congress.

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VILNIUS, October 21, BNS–Israel’s president and prime minister take pride in their Lithuanian origin and feel sentimental about Lithuania, Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevičius. currently visiting Israel, said.

“Both the Israeli president and prime minister emphasized their Lithuanian roots, they’re both Litvaks. Clearly, a lot of time has passed since then but they’re proud of their history, their family history and both say that their families come from Lithuania. Without doubt, such sentiments are important, because relationships are different that those wtih other countries where there’s no such link,” Linkevičius told BNS.

The Lithuanian foreign minister said he sensed favorable feelings towards Lithuania during meetings with Israeli president Reuven Rivlin and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We have to take advantage of this, this is highly felt in the atmosphere of conversations; they are very warm, highly business-like and very specific,” said the Lithuanian diplomatic chief who is in Israel as part of the delegation led by president Dalia Grybauskaitė.

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VILNIUS, October 21, BNS–Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday and said the country could provide direct assistance to Lithuania in the field of security.

“Israel is willing to help Lithuania directly in the field of security by way of training our armed forces, in cyber-security and even by organizing a training course for our security,” Grybauskaitė said after the meeting in Israel.

She also emphasized that Europe should be more active in its efforts to help regulate the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“The developments in this region have a major effect upon Europe and the migration crisis, and if things are not made right here and peace in this region is not achieved, not only between Palestine and Israel but also between Syria and other countries, such as Egypt, it is clear that the migration from Africa and this region will hit Europe. Therefore, Europe should be more active,” Grybauskaitė said in a statement circulated by the Lithuanian presidential press service.

The Lithuanian president said she invited Netanyahu to come to Vilnius and he “kindly agreed to come some day.”

VILNIUS, October 20, BNS – Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė suggested to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas Lithuania could mediate in peace talks between Israel and Palestine.

“As a small country and a member of the Security Council, we can contribute to the peace process. This is what I suggested, that even Lithuania could participate, if this is something both parties want and if we have trust,” Grybauskaitė said after meeting with the Palestinian president Tuesday.

An audio recording of her words was published by the Lithuanian presidential press service.

During the visit, Grybauskaitė said she was assured that neither Israel nor Palestine wanted tensions to escalate. Nevertheless, in her words, both parties refuse to negotiate and hold direct talks, which is “the biggest problem.”

Grybauskaitė emphasized Lithuania understood Palestine’s struggle for independence.

“Lithuania understands both sides. It understands the pain, the anxiety and the tensions which arise between the two sides on a regular basis,” she added.

The Lithuanian president called Abbas a man of peace who has done much for peace between the two nations.

“He is now ready to talk, however, not everyone is likely entirely ready for the conversation,” Grybauskaitė added.

The Lithuanian president visits the region amid tensions over a new outbreak of violence which has claimed dozens of lives over the past weeks.

VILNIUS, October 20, BNS–Lithuania and Israel could cooperate in the areas of business, science, education, IT and renewable energy, Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaitė, currently on an official visit to Israel, says.

Opening the Global Lithuanian Economic Forum, held for the first time in Israel, the Lithuanian president stressed there was no better time to step up such cooperation between the two nations.

“The World Economic Forum has recently acknowledged that our country has moved up the ranks of global competitiveness. Today, Lithuania is the world’s thirty-sixth most competitive economy. Today, we can confidently say that Lithuania is part of the economic avant-garde of the European Union. Despite increased external risks, Lithuania is achieving solid growth. There is no better time to reap the benefits of the excellent Lithuania-Israel relationship. As our economies embrace globalization, we strive to find our unique ways of working together in business and science, information technologies and education institutions, innovations and public spaces,” the Lithuanian president said.

The GLEF is being attended by more than 100 businessmen and politicians from Lithuania and Israel. Lithuania’s economic situation and investment opportunities will be presented during the event.

Supported by the Lithuanian president, the GLEF is being held for the seventh time and is taking place in Israel for the first time. Previously it was held in Chicago, London and Vilnius.

During her visit to Israel, the Lithuanian president is also scheduled to meet the heads of big Israeli companies.

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VILNIUS, October 19, BNS–Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaitė met her Israeli counterpart on Monday and underlined the importance of Jews in Lithuania’s history and pledged Lithuanian support for Israel at international organizations.

“We know that many ethnicities made up our country through centuries. Jews were the most prominent. Now we need … to create a future together,” Grybauskaitė said at a press conference with Israeli president Reuven Rivlin.

She said Lithuania “tried to be as supportive as possible” of Israel at the United Nations Security Council. Reuvlin responded: “We appreciate it very much.”

VILNIUS, October 19, BNS–Israeli president Reuven Rivlin met with Lithuanian counterpart Dalia Grybauskaite in Jerusalem on Monday and praised Lithuanian basketball player Šarūnas Jasikevičius, the star player on the Maccabi Tel Aviv team a decade ago.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Rivlin said he was happy that “one of the best players, champion of Europe, Šaras” had played for Tel Aviv. He called it an example of the close ties between the two countries.

Jasikevičius, 39, currently the coach of Žalgiris Kaunas, played for Maccabi from 2003 to 2005 and won the Euroleague and the Israeli championship with the team.