VILNIUS, Lithuania — President Dmitry Medvedev and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on Tuesday stressed the need for stronger economic ties, particularly during the financial crisis, as they held their first official conversation in eight years.
Russia last week imposed a ban on dairy product imports from three Lithuanian firms, blaming it on the discovery of antibiotics in some products.
“I am convinced our two countries have a sufficiently strong potential for the development of economic relations, and I would encourage addressing all problems only through open dialogue,” Grybauskaite told Medvedev by telephone, a statement from her office said.
The Kremlin said in a statement that the conversation had taken place at the initiative of Lithuania.
“Both sides expressed their desire and willingness to enter a new stage in their bilateral relations by developing constructive cooperation in trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres,” it added.
Russia’s agriculture watchdog said Thursday that it would ban dairy imports from three Lithuanian companies.
Grybauskaite was quoted as saying Lithuania should not be singled out from other countries when applying food health standards. Her office said Medvedev had assured her that this would not happen.
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