Speeches

Toast by H.E. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania, on the Occasion of Her Official Visit to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Your Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri,
Your Royal Highness Grand Duchess Maria Teresa,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

First, allow me to thank you most sincerely for the warm and gracious hospitality you have extended during this visit. This is the first official visit of the President of Lithuania to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and therefore it holds special significance for me.

I would also like to express my delight that we, our two countries, have become good friends and reliable partners over the past two decades. I had the privilege and the opportunity to get to know from the inside how the European Union operates. I have always admired the spirit of European unity and solidarity which Luxembourg - a founding country of the European Union - has defended and continues to defend consistently in the EU internal discussion process. These values are also very dear to my country and it is but natural that our cooperation within the European Union demonstrates that we share many interests which we can achieve working together. It will ensure not only mutual benefits, but it will also make the bonds of friendship between our countries and people stronger. Our membership in NATO is no less valuable on the path towards international stability and European security.

I would like to make use of this opportunity to express my strong belief that cooperation between our two nations in the modern European Union has many good prospects. One of the issues that I find pleasing and important to discuss during this visit is renewable energy. I am deeply convinced that mutually advantageous investments in this field can significantly strengthen the energy security of our countries and contribute in a meaningful way to international efforts countering climate change.

Your Royal Highness,

Your visit to Lithuania in 2003 to share in our celebration of the 750th anniversary of the Coronation of King Mindaugas confirmed your exceptional support and understanding for things of importance to our country, its past and the present which we strongly link to close cooperation in the family of EU nations.

May I invite you to join me in a toast to the growing friendship between our two countries. May our people get to know and understand each other better and better, and may this wish be fulfilled by ever more intensive contacts in all areas, without exception, from culture and research to business and the economy.

For the friendship of our nations!