Vilnius - Tensions between Lithuania and Russia rose Tuesday, as a growing number of Lithuanian truckers travelling through Latvia experienced delays at the Russian-Latvian border.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Chkhikvadze to complain about what he described as the unfair treatment of Lithuanian hauliers by Russian officials.

Last week, Usackas raised the question of the truckers' difficulties with Igor Levitin, Russia's minister of transport. Usackas claimed then that tightened customs control measures were being applied only to Lithuanian trucks.

"The discrimination (against) Lithuanian road carriers does not correspond to the constructive and pragmatic relations between Lithuania and Russia," Usackas said in a press statement.

Usackas added that he had sent a letter of protest to the European Commission with a request to guarantee equal conditions for European Union road carriers and to guarantee that they are not discriminated against on the basis of their nationality.

The situation on the Latvian-Russian border, where queues this week have stretched around 12 kilometres, was "intolerable," Usackas said.

Chkhikvadze told local press after the meeting there was no political motive behind the build-up of traffic and said he expected the issue to be resolved at a Wednesday meeting in Moscow between Russian and Lithuanian customs officials.

"Unfortunately, the current situation shows that there has not been such close cooperation (between border officials)," he said.

Lithuanian trucks were being stopped because they had accounted for the greatest number of border crossing violations, he said.

Long lines of hauliers waiting to cross into Russia have become a regular phenomenon in recent years.

Lines can extend for up to 50 kilometres at the Terahova border crossing, with hauliers sometimes forced to wait more than a week to cross the European Union's eastern border.

Many cite deliberate delaying tactics by Russian customs officials, and queues often display a remarkable capacity to build up and disappear just as quickly. (dpa)