CONFESSIONS OF A MAN OF "GOLDEN AGE"

Valdas Adamkus is one of the initiators of the energy dialogue which is currently under way between the EU and the extracting countries of the Caspian region. As Lithuanian president, he also did considerable work to develop bilateral cooperation between his country and Azerbaijan. It is apparently no coincidence that experts dubbed his 10-year presidency as "the golden age" in Azerbaijani-Lithuanian relations. In early May, the Lithuanian ex-president was in Baku among a number of senior guests of the First South Caucasus Forum. We took this opportunity to ask Valdas Adamkus several questions of interest to us.

- Mr Adamkus, what is your vision of prospects for Azerbaijan's development, considering what you have seen during your current visit?

- Azerbaijan has made incredible progress in the past 10 years. Every time I arrive in Baku I find something new here. Everyone is now talking about problems that European countries - Greece, Spain, Italy, etc - are experiencing. I would advise all European countries to look around, have a look at Azerbaijan and follow the example of how this country controls its economy and its finances. Certainly, you also have natural resources which help your development a lot. However, also significant is the proper use of them, correct decision-making and good planning of future development. From this point of view I can only wish successes to Azerbaijan in its further development and thriving.  To put it briefly, Azerbaijan is going along the right path and in the right direction.

- What can you say about the future of relations between Azerbaijan and Lithuania?

- I personally devoted all 10 years of my work as head of state to actually developing our relationship and I truly feel a sense of pride for that work. Some people call those 10 years "a golden period" in the development of relations between our countries.

I would just like circumstances to allow us to use Azerbaijan's natural resources. But there are certain problems about this, which back then I could not resolve because there is a big distance between Azerbaijan and Lithuania. However, I look to the future with hope, and we are going to resolve this problem. We are going to build a liquefied gas terminal. Perhaps, we will also be able to receive certain amounts of oil from Azerbaijan after resolving some issues related to transportation.

I would like to hope that our bilateral relations will continue to develop in the same direction. I think we could be a model for other countries in terms of how relations need to be established and developed.

- The first Lithuanian ambassador in Baku, Kestutis Kudzmanas, said Vilnius was ready to be an advocate for Azerbaijan in the cause of its rapprochement with the EU. What role can Lithuania be given in this issue?

- I'll speak based on my experience. During the 10 years I worked very actively towards Ukraine and Georgia's rapprochement with the EU. At the same time, I do not know how soon Azerbaijan wants this integration. You must comply with a certain set of criteria in order to become an EU member.

If I see that Azerbaijan truly wants to become an EU member and complies with the required criteria, I will personally do my best and will use any influence for your republic to become an EU member.

- It is absolutely obvious that the problem of the occupation of part of Azerbaijani territory impedes the development of the whole region. In the meantime, Europe does not show a big interest in providing practical assistance to the resolution of the problem. Why do you think it happens so?

- If you take a look at the EU, you will hear them say: "We do not want to deal with that issue."  I understand the way you feel because you have a problem that has not been resolved for more than two decades now. Nobody can help. You need to resolve this problem yourselves.

I hope the two countries will find some solution to this problem between themselves. I talked to your president and I had earlier talked to the Armenian president. At least, I saw in President Aliyev the goodwill and efforts to resolve the conflict through talks. But I did not hear the same opinion from the Armenian president. I don't know what is to be done when neither country wants to talk about common wishes. After all, the most important thing is the desire to resolve a problem. I believe that if the two countries come to some kind of agreement, Europe and the world will welcome that.