January 18, Geoffrey Cooper, Deputy Head of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL) and EUPOL delegation paid a visit to the base of the Lithuanian-led PRT in Chaghcharan, province of Ghor. The guests met with EUPOL officers working in Ghor and Commander of PRT-12 Col. Remigijus Baltrėnas.
G. Cooper who assumed the office of the Deputy Head of EUPOL several months ago visited Ghor province to familiarise with the activity of the team of EUPOL division in Ghor implementing City Police and Justice Program (CPJP), and situation in Ghor.
In the meeting with the PRT-12 Commander Col. R. Baltrėnas PRT activities in Ghor, points of cooperation between EUPOL teams and PRT, security situation in the province, and cooperation with Afghan National Police (ANP) officers and local prosecutor's office were presented to the guests.
The guest delegation also met with officers of the EUPOL team working in Ghor, familiarised with their activities, achievements, and challenges, and addressed the scope of their actions. Deputy Head of EUPOL also delivered the most recent information regarding EUPOL's strategic plans, and reported EUPOL's leading authorities' expectations regarding the implementation of CPJP teams working in Afghanistan.
G. Cooper gave positive evaluation and expressed gratitude for the efforts and work Chaghcharan CPJP team had done in building and strengthening a stable and effective system of Afghanistan's police and other law enforcement institutions, and development of cooperation with local institutions and international partners.
„Visit of the high-level EUPOL staff delegation is beneficial both to our guests and our team", said the Head of EUPOL team in Ghor and CPJP in Chaghcharan commissioner Vytaras Ratkevičius.
EUPOL team in Ghor province of Afghanistan operates together and coordinates its activity with the International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan Provincial Reconstruction Team.
The underlying objective of EUPOL is observation, training, counselling and support by other means readiness of ANP forces to fulfil their tasks relevantly, coordination of their efficient and appropriate cooperation with other law institutions with particular emphasis on cooperation with the prosecutor's office.
The current EUPOL team in Chaghcharan includes 10 officers, four Lithuanians, three Finland's and three Polish representatives.
The Lithuanian-led PRT in Ghor is a joint civilian-military mission, a part of NATO's ISAF, that was launched in Ghor in summer of 2005. The main task of the mission is to help Government of Afghanistan to extend authority in the province, ensure security and create environment for provincial reconstruction. Prerequisites for the allied forces deployed in Afghanistan to finish the mission will be provided as soon as the country's National Security Forces are able to ensure security of the country and its people independently. In the present period major attention is paid to the projects of training and preparation of Afghan National Security Forces.
Representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, USA, Poland, Finland and Ukraine serve together with Lithuanian military and civilian personnel in Ghor PRT camp in Chaghcharan.
Issued by PIO of PRT-12 Capt Ainaras Jonaitis
Pictures from EUPOL archive:
1. Meeting with Commander PRT-12. From left to right: Deputy Head of EUPOL mission G. Cooper, Commander PRT-12 Col Remigijus Baltrėnas and Deputy Head of Field Implementation Office in Kabul Robert Goodall
2. Meeting of EUPOL team with police officers of Chaghcharan at the PRT base.
