Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lt Gen Arvydas Pocius meets Chairman of the EU Military Committee.
On March 15 Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė met with Chairman of the EU Military Committee Gen Håkan Syren on visit in Lithuania and discussed Lithuania's preparation to take over the Presidency of the EU Council, Lithuania's contribution to EU operations and battlegroups, and the point of the EU capability development.
"Energy security and Eastern partnerships will be priority points of security and defence," said Lithuanian Minister of Defence when representing Lithuania's plans of preparation to chair the EU Council in 2013. According to Minister, strong political will is needed to make energy security point a part of the Common European Security and Defence Policy. Lithuania expresses strong support to the initiatives aimed at enhancing the EU relations with partner countries. "Therefore during the second semester of the Presidency of the EU Council we will particularly focus on increasing the EU cooperation with the Eastern partners," Minister said.
Chairman of the EU Military Committee agreed with Lithuanian Minister and added that security situation in the Baltic Region is more than just Lithuania's concern, it is a concern of the entire European Union, and EU is to seek more active cooperation within and with non-EU members. Gen. H. Syren said that the EU Military Committee will support Lithuania's efforts in the area. "Although Europe is quite small, and at the same time quite diverse, we have to address all the problems together," said Chairman of the Military Committee.
When speaking about the necessity to enhance cooperation between the EU countries Chairman offered the NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission as an instance for other EU countries to follow when seeking joint solutions to mutual problems.
In the meting Minister and Chairman of the EAU Military Committee discussed the point of Lithuania's involvement in the EU operations and Battlegroups. "We plan to assign an infantry company to the United Kingdom-led battlegroup during the second semester of 2013,"Lithuanian Minister said. In the battlegroup Lithuanian military would conduct service together with Latvian and Swedish soldiers. Minister also informed Chairman of the EU Military Committee about Lithuania's intent to join the EU Nordic Battlegroup in case one would be formed. "Enhancement of practical military Baltic-Nordic cooperation is key in seeking success in long-term regional cooperation," Minister of National Defence said.
Minister of National Defence also informed Chairman of the EU Military Committee that there were ongoing discussions in the Seimas regarding an intensified Lithuania's contribution in the EU naval operation ATALANTA off the Somali coast. Currently one staff officer is delegated by Lithuania in the operational headquarters of ATALANTA in Northwood, the United Kingdom.
Minister of National Defence and Chairman of the EU Military Committee also addressed the point of the EU capability development, the so-called Pooling and Sharing Initiative.
"Lithuania supports consistently a closer cooperation between the EU countries in capability development and understands enhancement of the regional (Baltic-Nordic) cooperation as national contribution to the area," Minister said.
At the meeting the high EU representative also touched upon the ongoing strategic EU operations: ATALANTA off the Somali coast, the EU Training Mission in Somalia EUTRA SOMALIA and the plans of joining he two operations, and the operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina EUFOR ALTHEA.
On the following day of the visit Chairman of the EU Military will visit the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on National Security and Defence of the Parliament where he is going to meet with the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and visit the Energy Security Centre.
Information by PR Department
Photos by Alfredas Pliadis (MOD)
