OREANDA-NEWS. May 30, 2012. President of Latvia Andris Berzins met today Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronis Azubalis to talk about various aspects of the relationship between the two countries. Among the issues that were discussed was the maritime border agreement between Latvia and Lithuania, the recent NATO summit in Chicago, and the partnership between the two countries in relation to the European Union.

President Berzins thanked the minister for the partnership between the two countries at the parliamentary, presidential and human level, saying that this partnership has been very good. The President added that Lithuania is Latvia’s leading trading partner.

Minister Azubalis called for more intensive co-operation between the two countries in the area of culture, because the two countries are joined by common linguistic origins and strong historical links. The President stated support for the minister’s initiative and promised to discuss the matter with the Latvian culture minister.

The two officials also discussed issues related to the upcoming EU multi-year budget, agreeing that they must work together on achieving Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy terms which are acceptable to the two countries.

The President and minister also discussed the maritime agreement between Latvia and Lithuania – an issue that has been on the agenda of the two countries for a very long time. President Berzins expressed the hope that a mutually acceptable agreement will be reached on the matter.