News archive (2005 - 07)

On 30 June the German Air Force took over the NATO Air Policing Mission over the three Baltic States from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Since then the German Detachment with its approximately 130 soldiers is responsible for securing the airspace over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the same way the German Air Force execute the NATO air policing tasks every day over Germany.

As it is the first that a German Detachment has been deployed abroad to a NATO air policing mission, the Detachment Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Trautermann, invites the Lithuanian media to an information briefing on 6 July.

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Between 5-6 July Undersecretary of the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence, Mr Renatas Norkus, will take part in an informal meeting of EU Undersecretaries of Ministries of Defence, which will be held in London. The meeting is designed to discuss the issues covering the European security and defence policy and to promote a programme of unanimous work in this area.

The meeting will address the European Security Strategy, focus on a more capable, consistent and active EU defence policy, more intensive military-civil co-operation in the field of crisis management. At the meeting EU operations are also expected to be discussed, as well as the Operation Althea in Bosnia and EU Battle groups reviewed. During the meeting a statement will be given by Director General of the European Defence Agency, Mr Nick Witney.

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