VILNIUS, Jun 23, BNS – Lithuanian Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas' proposed version of the agreement with Latvia and Estonia on non-purchase of electricity from the Astravyets nuclear power plant is good but improvable, Asta Skaisgiryte, a presidential adviser, says.

"What Minister Vaiciunas agreed is good but it's not good enough for us to take this path till the end. Therefore, the negotiations are ongoing. And the president has said very clearly that we need to continue talking to the Latvians, by the way, with the Estonians as well, on the non-purchase of electricity, and also about the synchronization as the two projects are closely connected," Skaisgiryte, leading the presidential foreign policy group, told the Ziniu Radijas news radio.

Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius has earlier criticized the compromise version proposed by Vaiciunas as under this agreement, Latvia and Estonia does not commit not to buy electricity from Astravyets but supports Lithuania's plans to do so. Skaisgiryte says that the ministers need to coordinate their positions.

"The president has said from the very beginning there can be no difference of positions of two ministers in the government and, therefore, asked them to harmonize their notes reach a compromise. By the way, the issue will be discussed today with the prime minister and the two ministers," the presidential adviser said.

Vaiciunas says the reached draft agreement stipulating the creation of an origin guarantee system and import taxes but not committing Latvia to anything is already sufficient for the implementation of the so-called "anti-Astravyets" law in Lithuania.

Representatives of the opposition say, however, that the agreement should be more ambitious and envisage non-purchase of Astravyets electricity by all three Baltic states.

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