Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite handed over credentials to Lithuania's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Valdas Lastauskas, ELTA agency reported on July 18.

During a meeting on Friday, the president and the ambassador discussed bilateral economic cooperation between Lithuania and Azerbaijan, as well as opportunities to develop closer relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union.

President Grybauskaite said Azerbaijan is EU's important partner in the development of economic ties.

The president also stressed that Lithuania is ready to help Azerbaijan to develop closer relations with the EU, and noted that her country supports talks on a visa-free regime with Azerbaijan.

Ambassador Lastauskas received a degree in law. He served as the chancellor of the Energy Ministry and chancellor of the Foreign Ministry.

The diplomat also served as the consul at the Lithuanian Embassy in Poland, as well as, the adviser to the minister-counsellor at the consulate-general in Kaliningrad and the adviser to the minister-counsellor at the Lithuanian Embassy in Poland.