April 16, two-day meeting of the Baltic Military Committee in Tartu (Estonia) ended. The event was attended by the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, Chief of Defence of Latvia Maj. Gen. Juris Maklakovs, and Chief of Defence of Estonia Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots and delegations. The Committee was chaired by the Chief of Defence of Estonia.
The discussion focussed on the undergoing cooperation among the Baltic States: implementation of the NATO Baltic Air-policing mission, development of the Baltic Defence College and stepping up officer training.
The meeting leading defence officers also looked into the possibilities of jointly operating territories of military training and military areas of all the three Baltic States. There are 14 military areas across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia out of which only Pabradė Military Area (Lithuania) and Adazi Military Area (Latvia) are suitable for battalion-level training. Six military areas in the territory of Lithuania meet requirements of platoon and company-level training.
Delegations addressed trilateral projects - Baltic Naval Squadron BALTRON, and Baltic Air Surveillance Network and Control System project BALTNET, developed for years and also receiving support from armed forces of other countries.
Customarily, meeting of the Baltic CHODs are held biannually. The following session is planned to take place in Latvia in autumn 2010.
PR Officer to the Chief of Defence Capt. Tomas Balkus, office phone 00370 5 278 5091, cell phone 00370 682 25 35.
Photo credit: Estonian Armed Forces
