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Baltic News Service / - BNS
August 23, 2013 Friday 9:07 AM EET
ForMin: Vilnius envoys to Hungary, Azerbaijan to resign but will stay
in diplomatic corps
(Updated version: new paras 3-last)
VILNIUS, Aug 23, BNS - After the leak of telephone conversations of
Lithuanian ambassadors to Hungary and Azerbaijan, Renatas Juska and
Arturas Zurauskas lost confidence of top state leaders and cannot stay
on but should continue their diplomatic careers, Foreign Minister
Linas Linkevicius has said.
In a proposition to the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, the
minister said they should be recalled from posts.
The committee decided to address the issue at its next meeting and
will consider inviting Juska and Zurauskas to attend the session.
"It is a crucial factor that state leaders should have confidence,
especially in ambassadors, as they reflect and communicate the state
policies, they must enjoy confidence of leadership of the countries,
as speaking to ambassadors means indirect communication with state
leaders. Under such circumstances, I do not see how they could stay
on," the minister told journalists after a meeting of the Foreign
Affairs Committee.
"Also, the experience (the ambassadors have) allows them to stay in
diplomatic service, however, working in these specific posts would
probably be complicated," said Linkevicius.
He emphasized that the ambassadors did not commit an official offense
or violation of the law.
The Lithuanian diplomacy chief said the individual who leaked the
private conversations have not yet been established.
"We cannot establish who did it," the minister added.
Linkevicius dismissed the leak as a provocation. In his words,
everyone should learn a lesson from the story.
"In today's modern world, information technologies are advanced and
make it hard to draw a line between public and private information.
Therefore, the persons doing 'sensitive' work - I am not talking about
diplomats and ambassadors only, it also refers to public servants -
have to realize that the information can become public. Lesson one -
responsible speaking and correct behavior to give fewer reasons for
such provocation," Linkevicius added.
In his words, reviewing ways of ensuring safe communication is another lesson.
The minister also emphasized that Lithuanian officials have no
experience in handling "sensitive" information.
"There's too much relaxation, we sometimes openly do the things that
we should do via safe channels," he noted.
Asked about the international impact of the story, the minister said
there should be none.
Benediktas Juodka, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
confirmed on Friday that the panel would gather again to discuss the
bid to recall the two ambassadors. He also noted that Juska's
four-year term in Hungary is about to expire soon.
The investigation into the telephone conversations of Lithuanian
ambassadors to Hungary and Azerbaijan leaked on youtube.com was
carried out by the Foreign Ministry's Inspectorate General, with
additional information received from the State Security Department and
experts.
In the leaked audio recordings, the diplomats share their personal
insights into the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the home
situation in Turkmenistan and make remarks about Lithuania's state
leaders.
Shortly after the conversations were leaked last month, Zurauskas
turned in a resignation.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius said he has
lost confidence in the ambassadors, saying his position was caused by
moral aspects.
Under the Constitution, ambassadors are recalled by President Dalia
Grybauskaite in response to a relevant proposition from the
government.
August 23, 2013 Friday 9:07 AM EET
ForMin: Vilnius envoys to Hungary, Azerbaijan to resign but will stay
in diplomatic corps
(Updated version: new paras 3-last)
VILNIUS, Aug 23, BNS - After the leak of telephone conversations of
Lithuanian ambassadors to Hungary and Azerbaijan, Renatas Juska and
Arturas Zurauskas lost confidence of top state leaders and cannot stay
on but should continue their diplomatic careers, Foreign Minister
Linas Linkevicius has said.
In a proposition to the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, the
minister said they should be recalled from posts.
The committee decided to address the issue at its next meeting and
will consider inviting Juska and Zurauskas to attend the session.
"It is a crucial factor that state leaders should have confidence,
especially in ambassadors, as they reflect and communicate the state
policies, they must enjoy confidence of leadership of the countries,
as speaking to ambassadors means indirect communication with state
leaders. Under such circumstances, I do not see how they could stay
on," the minister told journalists after a meeting of the Foreign
Affairs Committee.
"Also, the experience (the ambassadors have) allows them to stay in
diplomatic service, however, working in these specific posts would
probably be complicated," said Linkevicius.
He emphasized that the ambassadors did not commit an official offense
or violation of the law.
The Lithuanian diplomacy chief said the individual who leaked the
private conversations have not yet been established.
"We cannot establish who did it," the minister added.
Linkevicius dismissed the leak as a provocation. In his words,
everyone should learn a lesson from the story.
"In today's modern world, information technologies are advanced and
make it hard to draw a line between public and private information.
Therefore, the persons doing 'sensitive' work - I am not talking about
diplomats and ambassadors only, it also refers to public servants -
have to realize that the information can become public. Lesson one -
responsible speaking and correct behavior to give fewer reasons for
such provocation," Linkevicius added.
In his words, reviewing ways of ensuring safe communication is another lesson.
The minister also emphasized that Lithuanian officials have no
experience in handling "sensitive" information.
"There's too much relaxation, we sometimes openly do the things that
we should do via safe channels," he noted.
Asked about the international impact of the story, the minister said
there should be none.
Benediktas Juodka, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
confirmed on Friday that the panel would gather again to discuss the
bid to recall the two ambassadors. He also noted that Juska's
four-year term in Hungary is about to expire soon.
The investigation into the telephone conversations of Lithuanian
ambassadors to Hungary and Azerbaijan leaked on youtube.com was
carried out by the Foreign Ministry's Inspectorate General, with
additional information received from the State Security Department and
experts.
In the leaked audio recordings, the diplomats share their personal
insights into the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the home
situation in Turkmenistan and make remarks about Lithuania's state
leaders.
Shortly after the conversations were leaked last month, Zurauskas
turned in a resignation.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius said he has
lost confidence in the ambassadors, saying his position was caused by
moral aspects.
Under the Constitution, ambassadors are recalled by President Dalia
Grybauskaite in response to a relevant proposition from the
government.