Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis handed in a letter of Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius to OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria on Monday in Paris. The letter confirms Lithuania's wish to join the OECD and officially asks the secretary general for support to Lithuania's strategic aspiration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.
According to the statement, Lithuania hopes that the next stage of 34-member OECD expansion will be announced in the middle of 2013.
"After joining this elite club of countries, Lithuania will not only be a beneficiary but would also use its experience to productively join OECD activities. Lithuania could be particularly active in the organization's discussions on the introduction of new technologies in the public sector, the application of innovative solutions in creating new regional transport corridors as well as dealing with challenges of global economic and financial crises," the ministry said in the statement.
Estonia is an OECD member since 2010. Latvia also wants to join the organization soon.
Ažubalis said the OECD membership is one of Lithuania's economic and political priorities. Lithuania has been cooperating with the OECD since 1996 when, together with the Baltic states, it presented a declaration to the OECD on their wish to join.
