Spanish and Lithuanian heads of governments see much space to improve cooperation

On his working visit to Spain, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius met with Spain’s Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The meeting focused on the economy, energy, and the European Union Eastern Partnership.
The counterparts shared their experience as regards economic downturn, consolidation of public finances and economic incentives, and agreed on the need to pursue tight fiscal policies. The two Prime Ministers pointed out that the European Union's economic and financial policy must be united and effective so as to enable Europe to compete in the global market.
While presenting the strategy of Lithuania's energy independence, Prime Minister Kubilius pointed out that one of the main goals of Lithuania was to secure more diverse energy supplies and delivery methods. He also briefed the Spanish Prime Minister on Lithuania’s ongoing energy projects and noted that Lithuania would like to follow Spain’s experience in renewable energy.
On bilateral cooperation between the two countries, the Heads of Government agreed that the potential here has not yet been exploited in full, particularly in the retail, banking, and energy sectors. Iberdrola and Indra companies were mentioned as successful examples of cooperation. According to Prime Minister Kubilius, Telefonica’s entry into the Lithuanian market would be a very welcome step towards a closer economic cooperation.
During the conversation, Andrius Kubilius and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero exchanged views on the international support to Afghanistan. Both Lithuania and Spain currently lead provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan, and the Prime Ministers agreed that the mission must continue pursuing the goals set. The Lithuanian Prime Minister told about plans to hold an international conference in Vilnius to discuss the options for civil service reform in Afghanistan.
EU's Eastern Neighbourhood was another item on the agenda. The Prime Minister agreed that about the need to help these countries move towards Europe and strengthen democratic processes. A. Kubilius and J. Zapatero exchanged views on how the EU should develop democracy eastwards, and discussed the possibilities of the democratic process in Cuba.
At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Kubilius presented his Spanish counterpart with the individualized T-shirt of the Lithuanian basketball team.