Speeches

Toast Remarks by H.E. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania, at State Dinner in Reykjavik

Your Excellency Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to thank you, Mr. President, and everybody who helped organize this visit for the warm hospitality extended to me and the Lithuanian delegation in your beautiful country of ice and fire.

This is my first visit to Iceland as the President of Lithuania. And therefore it has a special significance for me personally because it takes place at a very special moment.

Tomorrow, on August 26th, Lithuania and Iceland will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations.

It was more than just international recognition: it gave us strong moral support and sent a special message to the world that Lithuania had a true friend and an effective advocate of our cause.

Let us not forget that it happened at a time when our country and people needed it the most - just after the total economic blockade by the Soviet Union and after the tragic events of January 13th, 1991, when so many Lithuanians died just because of their love of freedom.

Later, Iceland actively supported our efforts to return to the European family of nations and our aspirations to join NATO.

For this, Your Excellency Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of my country, I want to express sincere gratitude to Iceland and to all the people of Iceland.

We will also remember the people who worked hard to bring Lithuania and Iceland closer together by their goodwill and dedicated efforts. One of them was the talented linguist and Lithuania's first honorary consul, the late Jörundur Hilmarsson. He will remain as a symbol of Icelandic sincerity and diligence and he will be always remembered for the important part he played in Lithuanian politics and culture at the time of the rebirth of our nation.

The Nordic direction is a priority in the foreign policy of Lithuania. That is why we are dedicated to developing new ways to strengthen dialogue and practical cooperation in the field of Nordic and European issues.

Since Lithuania became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization seven years ago, Iceland and Lithuania have been working to strengthen the Alliance and to be better prepared to address the old and the new challenges that we face. The good results of our work demonstrate that relations between our countries rest on a solid foundation of shared interest and mutual understanding.

Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I invite you to join me in a toast to the growing friendship between Lithuania and Iceland and to the bright future of our nations.

May our people get to know each other better and better, and may this wish be fulfilled through ever more intensive contacts and cooperation.

To the friendship of our nations!