September 13-15 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major General Valdemaras Rupšys took part in the NATO Military Committee field conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to discuss key aspects of NATO activities and international security with his counterparts from other NATO allies and NATO leadership.
The NATO Military Committee and NATO military leadership discussed deterrence and defence in and of the Euro-Atlantic area, NATO military instrument of power, and NATO's warfighting concept, reviewed security situation in the areas of NATO operations, addressed NATO operations and missions.
Chiefs of Defence of NATO allies agreed that strong deterrence needed to be retained and a clear message communicated to any potential aggressor that that NATO stood ready to protect peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. That required a well-balanced combination of nuclear, conventional and missile defence weaponry in support of NATO deterrence and defence.
Participants of the conference agreed to prepare for future challenges, develop corresponding military capabilities, and further work on the NATO warfighting concept with a focus on space, innovation, and emerging disruptive technologies.
Chiefs of Defence of the Alliance member countries expressed support to the NATO-led operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan which currently includes over 17,000 troops, and agreed that local security forces needed to receive further training.
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee UK Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach reviewed the conference results in his closing remarks and spoke of challenges that were global in character and threatened value-based systems already put under pressure.
"The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the unceasing destabilising activities of Russia against the eastern Ukraine are examples of such pressure," Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said.
Another space populated with challenges was the fight against terrorism, according to the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. He reminded of the 2001 September 11 attacks in the U.S. and the following cornerstone NATO's role in the anti-terror response. NATO's Article 5 was invoke for the first and still the only time precisely after that tragedy.
"We know by experience that prevention is better than intervention , therefore we work to build local capacity, we train local forces so they can stabilise and secure their own countries," Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
Over 140 Lithuanians are currently serving in the ongoing NATO-led operations and missions among the total of over 20,000 soldiers from the NATO allies.
The NATO Military Committee Conference supports the upcoming Defence Ministers' meeting in October, Foreign Ministers' meeting in November, and Heads of State meeting in London in December.
The conference was chaired by Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. He was supported by Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Tod Wolters, and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Andre Lanata.
The host and main organiser of the Conference was Chief of the General Staff of Slovenia General Major Alenka Ermenc.
The event for over 400 participants was organised by the staff of nearly 600 soldiers and officers of other institutions. The NATO Military Committee Conference took place in Slovenia during its celebration of the 15th anniversary in NATO.
Lithuania hosted such a field session of the NATO Military Committee 5 years ago in Vilnius when Lithuania's 10 anniversary of NATO membership was celebrated.
The Military Committee (MC) is NATO's highest structure of military command subordinate to the North Atlantic Council, Defence Planning Committee and Nuclear Planning Group. It takes strategic-level military decisions and forms military advice to the North Atlantic Council, the political decision-making body.
At the highest level the MC is comprised of NATO countries' Chiefs of Defence while daily activities are carried out by their military representatives. Chiefs of Defence sessions normally take place three times per year, two in Brussels and one - in one of the NATO states on a rotational basis. The Chiefs of Defence agree on and provide military advice to the North Atlantic Council as a result of their conferences.
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/events_168730.htm
Photo credits: NATO
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence Maj Tomas Balkus
00370 5 278 5091, 00370 686 28 035, tomas.balkus@mil.lt
