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Baltic News Service / - BNS
August 23, 2013 Friday 11:42 AM EET
Lithuanian president awaiting govt's proposal on ambassadors
VILNIUS, Aug 23, BNS - Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on
Friday refused to comment on Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas
Linkevicius' proposal to recall the country's ambassadors to
Azerbaijan and Hungary and is awaiting the Cabinet's submission.
"The president is awaiting the government's proposal. She will then
make a decision," presidential adviser Skaiste Plausinyte told BNS.
She also reminded that, pursuant to the law, ambassadors are appointed
and recalled by the president upon the submission of the government
following the consideration by the Seimas Committee on Foreign
Affairs.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius told journalists on
Friday he believes he is not the person who needs to make a decision
in this situation.
"I have expressed my opinion and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
should decide as the president of the Republic of Lithuania is
responsible for foreign policy. As head of the government, I have
expressed my opinion as there can be no double standards for
politicians," Butkevicius told journalists on Friday.
He stressed that diplomats should have a code of honor, but when asked
how the whole situation should be resolved, he said that he just
expresses his opinion and does not make any decisions.
Earlier on Friday, Linkevicius submitted a proposal to the
parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee to recall Ambassador to
Hungary Renatas Juska and Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arturas Zurauskas
after they lost confidence of state leaders.
In phone conversation recordings recently leaked onto youtube.com,
the diplomats share their personal insights into the conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, the internal situation in Turkmenistan and
make remarks about Lithuania's state leaders. The authenticity of the
recording has not been officially confirmed.
The parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee will consider the proposal
on Monday. Its decision will be of a recommendation character.
August 23, 2013 Friday 11:42 AM EET
Lithuanian president awaiting govt's proposal on ambassadors
VILNIUS, Aug 23, BNS - Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on
Friday refused to comment on Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas
Linkevicius' proposal to recall the country's ambassadors to
Azerbaijan and Hungary and is awaiting the Cabinet's submission.
"The president is awaiting the government's proposal. She will then
make a decision," presidential adviser Skaiste Plausinyte told BNS.
She also reminded that, pursuant to the law, ambassadors are appointed
and recalled by the president upon the submission of the government
following the consideration by the Seimas Committee on Foreign
Affairs.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius told journalists on
Friday he believes he is not the person who needs to make a decision
in this situation.
"I have expressed my opinion and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
should decide as the president of the Republic of Lithuania is
responsible for foreign policy. As head of the government, I have
expressed my opinion as there can be no double standards for
politicians," Butkevicius told journalists on Friday.
He stressed that diplomats should have a code of honor, but when asked
how the whole situation should be resolved, he said that he just
expresses his opinion and does not make any decisions.
Earlier on Friday, Linkevicius submitted a proposal to the
parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee to recall Ambassador to
Hungary Renatas Juska and Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arturas Zurauskas
after they lost confidence of state leaders.
In phone conversation recordings recently leaked onto youtube.com,
the diplomats share their personal insights into the conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, the internal situation in Turkmenistan and
make remarks about Lithuania's state leaders. The authenticity of the
recording has not been officially confirmed.
The parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee will consider the proposal
on Monday. Its decision will be of a recommendation character.