Mr Povilas Gylys

Minister of Foreign Affairs

of the Republic of Lithuania

The Hague

5 March 1993

Reference:

No 239/93/L

Dear Mr Minister,

Allow me to thank you once again for the hospitality you offered me during my visit to your country on January 21-23. The programme which was prepared for my visit offered me an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the policies Lithuania is pursuing concerning especially the Russian and Polish minorities.

I was pleased to note that the problem of citizenship for members of the Russian and Polish minorities has been virtually resolved. The relationship between the various population groups seems on the whole to be harmonious, even though a number of desiderata remain unfulfilled. I did register complaints of the Polish minority concerning registration procedures for regional elections.

In this connection, I take the liberty to recommend to you the creation of the office of an Ombudsman, which could have as its main task to address in a non-judicial way complaints concerning administrative decisions and practices. The office of Ombudsman, as it has developed in the Scandinavian countries, could serve as a model. Serving the population as a whole, it could also play a useful role in addressing complaints concerning administrative decisions and practices relating specifically to members of the Russian and Polish minorities. I would be willing to offer any assistance you might find desirable in developing this idea.

Yours sincerely,

(Max van der Stoel)