"The Aksu Canyon has the whole line-up of Lithuanian peaks, and this year when we were organizing the expedition, we thought that it would be meaningful to also give Lithuanian names to the remaining peaks in the canyon," traveler and leader of the Tian Shan 2012 expedition, Algimantas Jucevičius, said.
In his words, the highest peak of 5 kilometers was named the Peak of Lithuania-Kyrgyztan, and the shorter ones of around 4.5 meters were named the peaks of Neris and Antanas Poška.
Jucevičius stressed that the name for the highest peak was chosen to mark relations between travelers, climbers, and people of both countries. This fact is expected to help to step up official recognition of peak names by Kyrgyz state institutions.
"We have been asking the Kyrgyz government to officially recognize them as previously there have been cases when you give a name, it appears on climbers' maps and in travel guides, and that's it. (…) A governmental decision is needed for recognition. To achieve the level of such diplomatic relations we have named the highest peak Lithuania-Kyrgyzstan," Jucevičius said.
He also said there are plans to travel to Tajikistan next year as there are peaks named after Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas and their plane Lituanica there. Lithuania will mark the 80th anniversary of Darius and Girėnas' trans-Atlantic flight next year.
Peaks in the Aksu Canyon are also named Žalgiris, Nemunas, and the Millennium of Lithuania's Name.
