News archive (2004 - 04)

19-20 April General James L. Jones Supreme Allied Commander, Europe will be on an official visit to Lithuania.

A formal red carpet ceremony is due to take place at the Ministry of National Defence on Monday, 19 April, at 1225 hrs. After the ceremony General James L. Jones is scheduled to meet with Minister of National Defence Linas Linkevičius and Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Major General Jonas Kronkaitis.

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On 28-29 April the Czech Minister of Defence Miroslav Kostelka is coming to Lithuania with an official visit. A formal meeting ceremony is due to take place at the Ministry of National Defence on Thursday, 29 April at 1300 hrs. Immediately after the meeting, the high-ranking guest is scheduled to meet with Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Linas Linkevičius.

The meeting will focus on participation of troops in international operations, creation of European defence capabilities, as well as on other issues covering military co-operation between the two NATO countries.

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On Monday, 26 April two Lithuanian military medical personnel are leaving for Afghanistan, where they are to replace their colleagues serving in a German field hospital in Kabul.

The two doctors - orthopaedist traumatologist Major Raimundas Blavieščiūnas and therapeutist Major Vilius Kočiupaitis - will be a part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, also known as ISAF, in Afghanistan for the period of up to three months.

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On Friday, 23 April, in Vilnius, a formal graduation ceremony will be held at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, when the first group of graduates of international Captains' and English Language courses will be awarded certificates of completion.

The first group of graduates of the international Captains' Course involved fifteen officers, eight of which were representatives from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Moldova. After completing the Captains' Course all the officers will be awarded certificates qualifying them as company commanders (battalion staff officers). They will also receive Captains' Course completion badges

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On Thursday, 22 April Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force, Brigadier General Valdas Tutkus, is visiting Iraq.

This is already the second visit by the Commander of the Land Force to the Middle East. During the visit, he will visit LITCON –3 (Lithuanian Contingent) troops serving within the Danish Battalion in the UK- controlled sector in the region of Basra.

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NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General James L. Jones, who was on 19-20 April at the invitation by the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Major General Jonas Kronkaitis with an official visit to Lithuania, commended the Lithuanian Armed Forces' readiness to accurately and effectively interact with NATO military forces.

Whilst in Lithuania, General Jones met with Lithuanian political leaders, visited the Regional Airspace Surveillance and Control Centre based in Karmėlava, observed a display exercise by the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Motorised Infantry Battalion in Rukla.

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On Tuesday, 20 April the Netherlands Minister of Defence Henricus Gregorius Jozeph is coming to Lithuania with an official visit.

The agenda for the visit will include meetings with National Defence Minister Linas Linkevičius, Chairman of the National Security and Defence Committee Alvydas Sadeckas and other committee members.

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On Monday, 19 April National Defence Minister Linas Linkevičius met with General James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe who is currently with an official two-day visit to Lithuania.

Minister L. Linkevičius thanked General J. Jones for a rapidly taken NATO's political decision to ensure control of the national airspace of the Baltic States. Within a few days NATO fighters and operating personnel have been prepared for the deployment to Zokniai airfield. On 29 March – the day of accession of NATO's newest members – the unit undertook implementing its mission. On its turn, General Jones underlined that airspace of the new members will receive the same level of security as that of the other members.

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On Thursday, 15 April, a formal flag-raising ceremony to welcome the seven newest NATO members will be held at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Monse, Belgium.

The ceremony will be attended by Commanders of Armed Forces of all NATO member states. The flags of the new seven nations at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe will be raised at 1430 hrs. The ceremony will be followed by a press conference of Commander Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, General James L. Jones and Chiefs of Defence of the seven newest members when the new armed forces will be presented to international media.

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