On January 16-17 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas and his NATO counterparts and NATO leadership discussed relevant NATO and international security matters at the 178th, first one in 2018, Military Committee Chiefs of Defence Session (MCCS) at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
In the beginning of the MCCS the Chiefs of Defence were briefed on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, discussed NATO role in stabilising the situation. Projecting Stability Initiatives, Fight against Terrorism, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and the ongoing NATO Training and Capacity Building in Iraq were also addressed. The Chiefs of Defence advised the NATO leadership to strengthen the cooperation with the European Union and other international partners, also, possibly to adapt the NATO Training and Capacity Building activity in Iraq to better respond to the needs of the Iraqi authorities in the area of defence sector reform.
Later, Leadership of the Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan informed the MC on the political, strategic and operational aspects of the situation. The Chiefs of Defence agreed on the need to further conduct the mission, also, acknowledged the progress the Afghan National Security Forces had made in strengthening and leading national capabilities.
In the afternoon session, General Curtis M Scaparrotti, SACEUR and General Denis Mercier, SACT, presented their recommendations regarding the NATO Command Structure Adaptation. The Chiefs of Defence the Command Structure needed to be purpose-oriented and suitable for ensuring efficient command and control in the environment of current but also potential future challenges. The MC also identified additional work that had to be done in the implementation phase, following adoption of relevant political decisions.
On January 17, the second day of the conference, the MC met with Georgia and Ukraine partners. The session on Ukraine addressed security situation in and around the country and its security and the progress of its defence reform in 2017. The Chiefs voiced support to further assistance to Ukraine in the format of the Comprehensive Assistance Package.
The Georgian partners briefed the MC on the status and prospects of Georgia's defence system reform. The CHODs recognised the substantial and lasting Georgia's contribution to NATO operations and missions, in particular, the Resolute Support Mission, and expressed support to further implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package and addressed further prospects.
In the final session of the meeting the Chiefs of Defence stressed the need to enhanced coherence across all fields of work towards the Alliance's core tasks. Long-term strategic thinking paired with political guidance was underscored as continually important.
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. Last time the Chiefs of Defence met as the Military Committee was in Albania in September 2017.
Photos: courtesy of nato.int
Spokesperson to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major Mindaugas Neimontas, +370 5 278 5091, +370 682 25359, mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
