Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [Adamkus is a former U.S. federal official - from here in Chicago - who went from his home on Chicago's Southwest Side to the Lithuanian presidential palace one fine day a few years ago. Though he does have some acquaintance with the nation he was sent to govern, having left it with the Nazi Wehrmacht in 1944.] Tuesday September 4 9:28 AM ET Lithuanian President to Lobby Joining NATO to Bush VILNIUS, Lithuania (Reuters) - Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus said Tuesday he expected to meet President Bush during a working visit in the United States next week to advocate his country's membership in NATO. ``(The year) 2002 is decisive for our nation and that is why we cannot sit idly by,'' Adamkus told a news conference. ``We must unite all the efforts of politicians and society while seeking Lithuania's membership in NATO and the European Union.'' Lithuania and its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia are seeking an invitation to join the alliance at next year's NATO summit in Prague. They regard membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as the best way to safeguard the independence won from Moscow's rule a decade ago. Russia has vehemently opposed NATO's eastward expansion to include the Baltic States. Russian President Vladimir Putin said while on a visit to Finland earlier this week that only a ``sick mind'' could believe Moscow posed an aggressive threat to European security. ``(Putin) said nothing new that he wouldn't have said before...When speaking about the Russian position there was no severity, threats or a definite 'no'. That makes the difference,'' Adamkus said. ``He (Putin) clearly knows Lithuania's position and I want to point out that he repeated once again that it is Lithuania's sovereign right to make the choice,'' he added. Adamkus's visit to the U.S. will start on September 9 when he holds meetings in the Senate and House of Representatives. It is expected to last until September 16, but his office declined to say when his meeting with Bush had been scheduled. Adamkus will visit Washington, New York and Pennsylvania. . __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
