On September 13-15 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius took part in the NATO Military Committee Conference in Budapest, Hungary.
At the meeting 28 NATO Chiefs of Defence addressed the progress of ongoing operations in Afghanistan and the Western Balkans, security situation in North Africa and the Middle East, and presented recommendations for the Defence Ministers meeting due this October in Brussels (Belgium).
The meeting provided a positive review of the progress made in Afghanistan. "For the first time, the Afghan forces are in the lead for security across the country. They are planning and conducting complex operations throughout the country. That is a major challenge - and they are rising to this challenge every day," said General Knud Bartels, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee.
When addressing NATO Transformation the Chiefs of Defence discussed successful examples of applying the Smart Defence Imitative and expressed support to further development of long-term multinational projects aimed at a more efficient employment of national capabilities and strengthening of mutual commitments.
The Chiefs of Defence also addressed NATO exercise Trident Juncture 2015 to be conducted to support operational readiness and test NATO rapid response capabilities.
The Budapest Military Committee Conference was chaired by General Knud Bartels, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, it was also be attended by General Philip Breedlove (Supreme Allied Commander, Europe), and General Jean-Paul Paloméros (Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation).
The Military Committee is the superior NATO military command structure reporting to the North Atlantic Council, Defence Planning Committee and Nuclear Planning Group.
The MC adopts strategic military solutions and shapes military advice for the North Atlantic Council - the decision-making body of NATO. Daily work of the MC is done in sessions attended by Military Representatives delegated by NATO's member states.
The Military Committee meets three times a year at the level of Chiefs of Defence. Two of these meetings occur at NATO Headquarters in Brussels and one is hosted by a NATO member country chosen on a rotational basis. Next away meeting of the MC is planned to be held in Lithuanian on 19-21 September, 2014.
Spokesperson to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Capt Skomantas Povilionis, phone no. 00370 278 5091, cell phone no. 00370 682 25 359.
Photo courtesy and information based on: www.nato.int
