On January 16-17 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius attended the meeting of the NATO Military Committee in Brussels (Belgium).
In the meeting NATO Chiefs of Defence addressed the course, progress made and prospective priorities of NATO operations. NATO's operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan were addressed, a considerable attention was paid to the counter-piracy operation Ocean Shield in the Indian Ocean and the maritime operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean Sea.
In a discussion over the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan NATO Chiefs of Defence noted that the operational aspect of the pull-out from Afghanistan is a highly complex process requiring comprehensive arrangements. The operation is expected to be fully completed by 2014. Lithuania has been a part of the ISAF operation since 2005.
During the visit in Brussels Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lt Gen A. Pocius attended bilateral sessions with Chiefs of Defence of NATO allies and partners. The meetings in bilateral format addressed defence points of relevance to Lithuania and the Baltic Region. Current matters of the establishment of the trilateral Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian brigade LITPOLUKRBRIG and contribution to joint military units in multinational operations were addressed with regional partners and allies.
Chief of Defence of Lithuania also took part in the sessions in the formats of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the Russia-NATO Council.
The Military Committee (MC) is the senior NATO's military body of command subordinate to the North Atlantic Council, Defence Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group. The Committee is the primary source of military strategic decisions and advice to NATO's political decision-making body - the North Atlantic Council. Daily work of the Military Committee is done at the level of Military Representatives (MILREPs).
The Military Committee meets three times a year. Two of the annual meetings are held in Brussels and one is hosted by one of the NATO countries on a rotational basis.
Spokesperson to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Capt Skomantas Povilionis
Photo provided by NATO sources
