Welcoming ceremony (by Lukas Kalvaitis)
On March 6 and 7 Chief of Defence of Germany General Volker Wieker is conducting a visit in Lithuania. The guest has already met with Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas and Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius and other representatives of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
"Germany is a particularly important partner, therefore we really appreciate bilateral defence cooperation of our countries", Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas said in a meeting at the Ministry of National Defence on March 6. The Minister also thanked Germany for an extensive contribution to the Baltic Air Policing mission; Germany has deployed its air personnel and assets to the mission for five times.
At the meeting the Lithuanian Minister and the German Chief of Defence addressed the participation of their countries in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan and further plans after the completion of the operation in 2014. General Wieker invited Lithuania to consider joining a German-led team which is planned to continue operating in the north of Afghanistan. Minister Olekas, in his turn, offered Germany to look into using Lithuania's transit infrastructure, railways, for pulling out its forces from Afghanistan.
The meeting also addressed participation of Germany's and Lithuania's military personnel in the European Union-led counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia (ATALANTA) and the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali).
The Minister thanked General Wieker for Germany's contribution to the activities of the Baltic Defence College and invited to continue developing cooperation in the area.
At the meeting with the Chief of Defence of Germany General Pocius presented to the high guest perspectives of the Baltic Air Policing mission and discussed with him joint participation of Lithuanian and German military in multinational exercises held in the region. The meeting Chiefs of Defence also discussed the possibilities for Lithuania to acquire military equipment and weaponry from Germany. The Chief of Defence of Lithuania also presented the activities of the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (COE) that was opened in Vilnius early this year.
General Wieker is paying the exchange visit to Lithuania by invitation of the Lithuanian Chief of Defence. General Pocius conducted a formal visit to Germany in November 2012.
Cooperation between Lithuania's and Germany's armed forces is based on a defence cooperation agreement signed in 1994 and updated in 2010. Lithuania collaborates with various institutions of Germany's defence system in a spectrum of areas at different levels. Cooperation between the countries is developed in the areas of military training and weaponry acquisition, Lithuanian and German military conduct standby in concert in multinational capabilities. Lithuanian troops also undergo training in Germany, over 300 Lithuanian military have graduated from German military education institutions, including the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College, since 1994. Germany has made a significant input into the development of military training system in Lithuania and provided expert assistance. Lithuania and Germany participated in the establishment of the EU Battlegroups and conducted standby jointly in 2010. German air contingents and fighter-jets have been deployed to the Air Base of the Lithuanian Air Force to conduct the Baltic Air Policing mission for five times. Last visit by a German Chief of Defence was conducted in Lithuania in 2008.
POC: Spokesperson to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Capt Skomantas Povilionis, cell phone no. 00370 682 25359.
Photo by - A. Pliadis
