March 2, a formal two-day meeting of the Baltic Land Forces' Commanders in Vilnius, initiated by Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Maj Gen Jonas Vytautas Žukas, ended.
The meeting was attended by Maj Gen J. V. Žukas, Commander of the Land Force of the Estonian Armed Forces Col Indrek Sirel and Commander of the Latvian Land Force Col Dzintars Roga discussed trilateral and multilateral cooperation, current points of the Baltic Land Forces, and perspectives of cooperation.
Land Forces' Commanders also signed a trilateral Military Cooperation Plan of the Baltic Land Forces for 2012-2014. It will facilitate a coordinated development of the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Land Forces' cooperation, which up to now was implemented on the basis of separate plans and through participation in a range of bilateral and trilateral projects. The plan will be subject to updates and reviews during the annual meetings of the Baltic Land Forces' commanders and staffs.
Besides that in the meeting a common name for the Land Forces of the Baltic States in the context of participation in joint military events, BALTFOR (Baltic Forces), was approved. It was done seeking a stronger spirit of cooperation and a sense of affinity in the Baltic military cooperation.
Commanders of the Baltic Land Forces have established that in the nearest future no additional or new trilateral military training events will be held in order to achieve efficient employment of military resources while implementing active military cooperation. Instead, the scheduled national military training will be rearranged to include troops from the remaining two Baltic countries. The majority of such events were singed out and addressed in this meeting.
When addressing multilateral cooperation the Baltic Army Commanders emphasized cooperation of the Baltic Land Forces with the US Army Europe based on the multinational military training event Sabre Strike organised in the Baltic countries annually since 2010, as well as cooperation with the Danish Royal Army Division. Cooperation with Denmark has been developed since as early as 2005 through the implementation of bilateral projects ESTBRIG, LATBRIG and LITBRIG assisting NATO to conduct wide spectrum operations.
Land Force Commanders of the Baltic States meet several times per year in a range of international events. Their last meeting occurred last September in Venice (Italy) at the annual European Armies Conference.
By Capt Mindaugas Neimontas, PAO for the Lithuanian Land Force Command, cell phone 00370 640 45 380. Photos by Sgt (1st Class) E. Žygaitis
