On 23 June, the Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus visited the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) HQ while on a working visit to Georgia. His delegation included the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr.Šarunas Adomavičius, and the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs of the Lithuanian parliament, Mr. Petras Auštrevičius.
EUMM’s Head of Mission, Ambassador Hansjörg Haber, explained the mission and its structure to the President and briefed him on the latest security situation. "Despite the recent attack on one of the EUMM patrols, the overall security situation was satisfactory", he said. It was, however, very important to build up confidence among the parties in order to achieve sustained stability.
President Adamkus stressed that with the withdrawal of the UNOMIG and OSCE missions, expectations would rise vis-à-vis EUMM. EUMM was the “remaining hope for all of us”, he said. He praised the mission’s work in order to reach stability and allow for people to return to a normal life. The President reiterated Lithuania’s strong support for an extension of the EUMM’s mandate.
There are currently seven Lithuanian nationals serving in EUMM.