Second Seimas Attitudes to Relations With Great Britain

Abstract

During the period from 1923 to 1925 the Second Seimas of Lithuania declared its orientation towards Great Britain, though other options of international orientation were discussed unofficially. Insufficient support of Lithuania's interests in international institutions provided by the diplomats from Great Britain disappointed the Lithuanian politicians; nevertheless, they continued the cooperation. The Seimas of Lithuania established and maintained interparliamentary relations with the parliaments of Great Britain. The parliamentary delegations from Great Britain paid visits to Lithuania; the delegation of the Lithuanian Seimas along with the members of parliaments from Latvia and Estonia were invited to London. However, not all the opportunities of cooperation were exploited. The Christian Democrats bloc refused the loan offered by Great Britain for railway construction, thus, the Government of E. Galvanauskas resigned and LVLS and LSDP harshly criticized the decision of the ruling bloc by accusing them of the clash of interests. The refusal of the loan showed that the Christian Democrats bloc did not associate the future of Lithuania with the support of Great Britain.