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EU, NATO experts to discuss West-Russia relations, aid to East European partners

The two-day informal forum is held behind closed doors

VILNIUS, January 15. /TASS/. Relations between the West and Russia in light of the Ukrainian crisis and aid to East European partners will be in the focus of the Snow Meeting, a traditional informal discussion club, involving foreign ministers of some countries, representatives of the EU and NATO, and experts in international politics, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Lithuania will be represented by Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius. The discussions are planning to be attended by the foreign ministers of Latvia, Estonia and Slovakia - Edgar Rinkevics, Keit Pentus-Rosimannus and Miroslav Jajcak, and NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow. As a rule, bilateral meetings are held on the sidelines of the Snow Meeting.

The participants will discuss measures to protect the West’s values from the attempts to redraw a map of Europe by building relations between the West and Russia. They will also discuss assistance to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and other countries to overcoming Russia's pressure and continuing the way towards Euro-Atlantic integration, the ministry said.

The two-day informal forum is held behind closed doors. On Friday, January 16, Linkevicius is expected to hold a press conference. Over 60 Lithuanian and foreign politicians, officials and experts are planning to take part in the forum.

In parallel the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry and the Eastern Europe Studies Centre organise the so-called Vilnius Forum of Intellectuals. Its purpose is “to develop the dialogue with representatives of the Russian civil society”.

A joint discussion is due to be held within the meeting and the forum.

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