Lithuanian anti-NATO protestors demonstrated outside the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Vilnius today in opposition to the former Soviet state's bid to join the Western military alliance.
The group of university-aged pacifists held signs reading "Stop NATO", "Education, not army" and "No to militarism, capitalism, fascism".
No incidents of violence were reported. A crowd of about 30 pro-NATO senior citizens stood by opposing them, chanting and singing national songs.
Lithuania was one of the first former Soviet countries to ask to join NATO following the collapse of communism. Left out of the alliance's first post-Cold War expansion in 1999, Lithuania is seen as well-prepared and a good candidate to receive an invitation at NATO'S next summit in 2002.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is being held this week for the first time on former Soviet territory. Lithuania participates in the assembly as an associate, along with 15 other non-member states.
Russia's associate delegation cancelled its attendance at the meeting due to its opposition to Lithuania's NATO bid.