Energy, Good for Business, Investments, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Technology, USA

Juan Verde, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the U.S. Department of Commerce, the initiator of the trade mission idea, says that this visit is part of the new trade strategy of the United States. "For instance, the majority of trade missions this year were conducted to such countries as Russia, Turkey, Germany, and the UK. Therefore, this visit to Lithuania is exceptional as we believe that cooperating with Lithuanian companies, we will be able to grow and expand into third countries," he said.

The U.S. official also stressed that Lithuania's strategic location allows developing ties not only with Western markets, but also with Eastern and Scandinavian countries, in which the U.S. business is very interested. The mission is headed by a Lithuanian-origin U.S. Congressman John Shimkus, who promised to help to shore up the ties of Lithuanian and American businessmen. "It is my honour to head the first U.S. Department of Commerce certified trade mission in Lithuania. I am ready to assist in strengthening the U.S. and Lithuanian relations that are already tight. I look forward to seeing how our bilateral economic cooperation expands," Shimkus said.

Economy Minister Rimantas Zylius noted that this certified mission receives a political support to it from the U.S. authorities. "We hope that such status of Lithuania will help to convince the American businessmen that our country is a promising business partner," he said. Tadas Vizgirda, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania says that the Americans are interested in the fields of IT, client service, renewable energy, biomass and bioplastics, writes LETA/ELTA.