Lustration body confirmed ambassador Audronius Čekuolis never collaborated with KGB

The ministry also noted that the presumptions about Čekuolis' alleged KGB links appeared just a few days prior to the ballot to elect the chairman of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly. Čekuolis was one of the two proposed candidates.

The minister made the comment to BNS after a publication in alfa.lt news portal, which cited unnamed archival documents to parallel agent Leipus and Čekuolis.

"Before consideration of candidates for chairmanship of the UN General Assembly's 67th session for 2012-2013, I appealed to the Lustration Commission, as prescribed by Lithuanian laws, to provide information as to potential candidates, including Čekuolis, had been examined by the Lustration Commission and, if they had, I asked to present the conclusions. According to the reply received from the Lustration Commission received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Jan. 6 2011, Čekuolis did not collaborate with the KGB," Ažubalis said in a comment to BNS.

"When proposing candidates for ambassadors, I always refer to conclusions received form relevant institutions that deny the candidate's links with Soviet KGB structures," the minister said.

"Please note the 'extremely random' timing of the media reports, just a few days before the crucial vote on the chairman of the General Assembly," the Lithuanian diplomacy chief added.

The article about Čekuolis suggests that the Lithuanian candidate's competitor in the election – Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic – was a graduate of "prestigious universities of Cambridge and Harvard, comrade of the former pro-European Serbian president and future prime minister Boris Tadic," while Čekuolis is a former diplomat of the Soviet Union who has completed the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

The Serbian candidate is supported by Russia, however, alfa.lt publication makes an assumption that "Moscow probably wouldn't be upset by the Lithuanian candidate's victory in the United Nations."

Lithuania has recently criticized Serbia over its unexpected decision to propose a candidate for UN General Assembly chairmanship. The Serbian candidate was publicly supported by Russia.

Lithuanian diplomats said they had announced their plans to seek the chairmanship back in 2004.

The vote for the chairmanship of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly is scheduled for Friday.