BALTS INTERESTED IN NORTH-SOUTH LINKS.

Presidents Lennart Meri of Estonia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia and Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania underscored their countries’ interest in revitalizing historic north-south commercial routes from the Baltic to the Black Sea and in extending those routes to the Caspian. Ukraine would, by dint of its location, function as the main transit country. Adamkus expressed interest in imports of Caspian oil for Lithuania’s own needs and for re-export via the recently commissioned Butinge maritime terminal. The Baltic presidents took the lead in urging the liberalization of intra-regional trade and the need to reform commercial legislation, particularly that of Ukraine. Adamkus cited a recent Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian summit on trilateral cooperation (see the Monitor, May 17) as a possible model for promoting functional cooperation at the subregional level. He singled out banking, transport and energy as priority sectors at the present stage (BNS, Radios Vilnius and Riga, UNIAN, September 10-12).

LUKASHENKA UNINVITED TO SUMMIT.