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Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė signed an agreement on protection of information and discussed bilateral cooperation and the Middle East peace process and security situation in the region when meeting with Defence Minister of Israel Ehud Barak on June 1 in Jerusalem (Israel). It is the first meeting of Lithuanian and Israeli defence ministers in the history of independent Lithuania.

At the meeting an agreement to cooperate in defence sector was reached. Defence Ministers agreed to make a work group for that purpose.

„The signed agreement will be very beneficial to both countries, especially in terms of trade. I am also glad about Israel’s proposal to commence defence cooperation“, said R. Juknevičienė.

The meeting Minister also discussed the point of opening Israel’s embassy in Vilnius. Minister E. Barak stressed that it was essential to establish the embassy before Lithuania’s EU Presidency in 2013.

At the meeting E. Barak made a comprehensive introduction to R.Juknevičienė on Israel’s view of the Middle East peace process. He expressed his high estimation of Lithuania’s mission in Afghanistan.

Minister of National Defence R. Juknevičienė invited Israel’s Defence Minister to visit Lithuania, homeland of his family. E. Barak’s family has roots in Pušalotas town in Panevėžys District (present Pasvalys Distr.). Lithuanian Defence Minister was born in Panevėžys too.

Yesterday Lithuanian Minister met with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs And Defence Committee at the Knesset and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman for a discussion over the Middle East peace process and Lithuanian-Israeli defence cooperation.

„The State of Israel is an important Lithuania’s partner in political and economical levels“, R. Juknevičienė stressed.

Minister will return to Lithuania on Thursday.