News archive (2005 - 05)

On Tuesday, 10 May Lithuanian National Defence Minister Gediminas Kirkilas and him accompanying delegation will leave for an official three-day visit to Ukraine.

While in Kiev, the Minister is scheduled to meet with the Ukrainian Minister of Defence Anatolij Gricenko and Foreign Affairs Minister Boris Tarasiuk. The meetings are planned to focus on issues covering Ukraine's bids to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures, participation of the countries in international operations and bilateral co-operation.

During the visit, Minister G. Kirkilas is also scheduled to visit the Ukraine's Supreme Rada, where he will meet with members of the National Security and Defence Committee.

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On Monday, 9 May the Lithuanian-Danish maritime exercise Linden Passex is due to commence in the Baltic Sea. The bilateral exercise, which has become a good tradition between the two countries, will be attended by the Lithuanian Naval Force's frigates, Zemaitis, and, Aukstaitis. During the exercise, the Danish Naval Force will be represented by patrol ship Ravnen P –560.

The Linden Passex Exercise consists of two parts: the first one being held in spring, and the second one in autumn. This year, the first part of the exercise will be held in Lithuania's territorial waters and free economic zone on 9-13 May, while the second part of the exercise will take place in territorial waters in Denmark in November later this year.

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The following events are scheduled for 8-15 May in the Lithuanian National Defence System:

On 8 May the Lithuanian Naval Force's frigates, Zemaitis F-11, and, Aukstaitis F-12, to take part in an international bilateral Lithuanian-Danish training Liden Passex, which will be held in the Baltic Sea. The training will also be attended by the Danish warship Ravnen P-560.

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On 6 May troops of the Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the Lithuanian Armed Forces accomplished a series of the exercise designed to prepare the unit for going on duty as part of the NATO Response Force (NRF).

The exercise brought together several squadrons of the SOU, which were charged to carry out training tasks in different parts of Lithuania, and in that respect it differed from previous series of the training. During the exercise, SOU troops were assisted by servicemen from other branches of service of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in preparing the SOU for serving within the NRF; therefore, a number of the Lithuanian Navy and Air Force assets and facilities were deployed during the exercise.

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On 4-6 May a final planning conference for planning the military training exercise Amber Hope 2005 will be held in Vilnius. The Amber Hope 2005 will be the largest international military exercise to be held in Lithuania this year.

The conference will bring together over 80 military and non-military personnel of the countries contributing to the exercise, which is scheduled to take place in the summer later this year. Representatives of the international organisations INTERPOL and EUROPOL as well as the Lithuanian Red Cross, Lithuanian Police and other national institutions will also take part in the conference.

The initial phase of the exercise planning started in the beginning of last year in accordance with NATO exercise planning guidelines.

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