On September 16-18 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas, Chiefs of Defence of NATO allies, and NATO leadership discussed the decisions taken at the NATO Summit in Warsaw and their implementation at a NATO Military Committee Conference in Split, Croatia.
The meeting addressed deployment of the NATO battalions in the Baltic states and Poland, rules of engagement for the battalions in peacetime and war, and specifics of control and command.
"NATO forward presence in our region will be not only for training but also for deterrence purposes, and in case of a crisis and with adequate decisions in place, it will be capable of immediately contributing to collective defence. This practical step NATO has taken will reinforce our security as soon as in the middle of next year," Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas said.
The Chiefs of Defence also exchanged views on the refinement of the NATO command structure in light of current security challenges. For instance, it was identified that more authorisations for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) would facilitate deployment of the NATO forward forces in the Baltic region in case of a crisis. The proposal is likely to be addressed by the NATO political leadership in the future.
The event also took stock of ongoing NATO operations and missions, the possibilities of ensuring border stability, and addressed prospects of the Alliance's development, adaptation and cooperation with other international organisations.
The NATO Military Committee is the highest NATO structure of military command which reports to the North Atlantic Council, the Defence Planning Committee, and the Nuclear Planning Group. It adopts strategic military decisions and develops military advice to the North Atlantic Council in charge of taking decisions at political level.
The top level meetings of the NATO Military Committee are attended by the NATO Chiefs of Defence while day-to-day work is done my military representatives delegated by NATO allies. The Military Committee meets at the level of Chiefs of Defence three times per year. Two of the sessions are held in Brussels and the third one is hosted by one of the NATO member states on a rotating basis.
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Captain Mindaugas Neimontas, 00370 5 278 5091, 00370 682 25359, e-mail: mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
Photos: http://www.nato.int/
