THE CONFERENCE,

Considering the particular situation of the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation in the context of the Union's enlargement;

Recognising the obligations and commitments of Lithuania with regard to the acquisestablishing an area of freedom, security and justice;

Noting, in particular, that Lithuania shall fully apply and implement the Union acquis regarding the list of countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement as well the Union acquis regarding the uniform format for a visa as from accession at the latest;

Recognising that the transit of persons by land between the region of Kaliningrad and other parts of the Russian Federation through Union territory is a matter concerning the Union as a whole and should be treated as such and must not entail any unfavourable consequence for Lithuania;

Considering the decision to be taken by the Council to remove controls at internal borders after it has verified that the necessary conditions to that effect have been met;

Determined to assist Lithuania in fulfilling the conditions for full participation in the Schengen area without internal frontiers as soon as possible,

Points out that specific provisions to that end have been included in Title V of Part Two of the Protocol on the Treaty and Act of Accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic.