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U.S. Ambassadors from Nordic-Baltic Countries to Meet in Vilnius

May 21, 2004

Vilnius, May 21, 2004 -- U.S. Ambassadors and representatives to Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden are meeting in Vilnius May 24-26 to discuss U.S. policy in Northern Europe.  Speakers at the meetings will include Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nordic-Baltic Affairs Heather Conley on U.S. Priorities for Europe and Nordic Baltic Region, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Rockwell Schnabel on the Implications of EU Expansion for Nordic/Baltic Region, and Ambassador Sichan Siv, U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations on Promoting Economic Freedom in New Economies.  Lithuanian Defense Minister Linas Linkevicius will address the group on Security Challenges for the new NATO.

The group will attend a conference sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania to meet with non-governmental organizations active in areas such as security policy, HIV/AIDS, trafficking in persons, and democracy building.  The Ambassadors will also travel to the Medininkai Border Crossing and meet with General Jurgis Jurgelis, Chief of the Border Protection Service, to discuss border security.