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News archive (2009 - 12)
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People of Lithuania funded support campaign for children of Ghowr province 2009.12.09
  From November 30 representatives of GOC „Savanorių centras" Director Nijolė Giedraitienė and project manager Jurgita Margau arrived to Ghowr were Lithuania leads a Provincial Reconstruction Team based in the capital Chaghcharan. The guests delivered to Afghanistan a donation of winter shoes that were purchased for the money collected via the campaign „Look, Afghanistan is near, you can help too" organised by GOC „Savanorių centras".
According to organisers of the campaign, the idea of presenting winter shoes for children of the province was given by a soldier of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Osvaldas Staškūnas who was deployed to Afghanistan two years ago. The footwear was bought from local traders in order to support local community. |
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Second half of Chaghcharan PRT-9 return from the mission 2009.12.09
 On December 9 the second half of rotation nine of the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan PRT returned to Lithuania after service in Afghanistan. Members of the contingent waited for the flight to Lithuania at Rammstein Airbase, Germany. In Lithuania they were met by Commander PRT-9 Lt. Col. Alvydas Šiuparis and the Head of Operations Board of the Joint Staff Lt. Col. Algirdas Norkus.
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Pre-mission team of the French Armed Forces arrived in Šiauliai Airfield 2009.12.08
 On December 7 transport aircraft CASA CN 235 of the French Air Force with 12 members of pre-mission team landed in Šiauliai Airfield. The unit arrived to start preparations for the NATO IRA mission that will be transferred from German to French Air Contingent in the beginning of January of 2010. Yesterday nine trucks also brought to Šiauliai equipment and materiel for the mission.
Contingent of the French Air Force will be guarding the Baltic airspace with four fighters „Mirage" 2000 that will come from the permanent dislocation Air Base Cambrai (France) in the beginning of January. |
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Lithuanian peacekeepers assisted in holding Islamic religious leaders' conference in Chaghcharan 2009.12.08
 On December 6 Commander PRT-10 Col. Gediminas Macijauskas took part in the provincial Islamic religious leaders' conference that was held in the capital Chaghcharan. The event organised by the PRT and National Security and Religious Affairs Departments of Ghowr pulled together heads of the organising units and more than 100 spiritual leaders from various regions of the province.
In the conference Islamic spiritual leaders shared views on security situation in Afghanistan, and participation of local community in strengthening security, reconstructing the province, and fighting corruption. Organisers and participants expressed a hope that similar gatherings will not only provide an opportunity to address problems abut also to find their solutions. |
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Bilateral defence consultations with representatives of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia were held in Vilnius 2009.12.08
 On December 8 bilateral defence policy talks took place in Vilnius with delegation of the Armenian Defence Ministry under the lead of Col. Davit Tonoyan, Chief of the Armenian Department of International Relations and Defence Programs.
During the bilateral defence consultations Armenian delegation shared information about security situation in the Southern Caucasus Region, in its turn Lithuania presented current points on NATO's and the EU's agenda, both sides exchange information on the ongoing reforms of national armed forces and participation in international operations. The seminar concluded with signing of a Lithuanian-Armenian Bilateral Cooperation Plan 2010 covering studies of officers of Armenia at the General Jonas Žemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy and the Baltic Defence College (Estonia), and military medic courses in Kaunas. In its turn Armenia will host bilateral defence policy consultations and a meeting of topographers in the nearest future. |
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NATO airlifter C-17 will deliver cargo for the Lithuanian Armed Forces to Šiauliai Airfield 2009.12.07
 On December 6 NATO military transporter C-17 „Boeing Globemaster III" jointly purchased by the Allies (including Lithuania) participating in the NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability Programme. C-17 will bring from Afghanistan cargo of the Lithuanian Armed Forces: equipment and military materiel of Lithuanian troops deployed on NATO operation, totally around 21 tones.
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Vilnius to host a conference on accelerating reconstruction of western Afghanistan 2009.12.07
 On December 8-9 Vilnius will host consultations of countries maintaining PRTs in the responsibility area of ISAF Regional Command West in Afghanistan: the USA, Italy, Spain, and Lithuania.
High ranking officials representing foreign and defence ministries and officers of the countries, and representatives of other states and international organisations supporting western Afghanistan will be exchanging experience on optimal employment of resources allocated for reconstruction of Afghanistan, and will debate ways of improving coordination of their activities in the western part of Afghanistan. |
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New Defence Attaché of the United Kingdom accredited to Lithuania 2009.12.07
 On December 8 new Defence Attaché of the UK Lt. Col. Ian Watts was accredited to Lithuania at the Ministry of National Defence. The incoming officer was congratulated by the Vice Minister of National Defence Vytautas Umbrasas. Accreditation ceremony was also attended by Deputy Ambassador of the UK in Lithuania Stephen Colon, Mrs Pippa Watts, and representatives of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The incoming UK Defence Attaché is 52 years old. Lt. Col. I. Watts began his military service in 1976 in the Royal Engineers Force. Later he held commanding positions in various divisions of the HM Armed Forces, his service locations included Great Britain, Northern Ireland, West Germany, as well as international missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liberia. In 2000-2004 Lt. Col. I. Watts served as the UK Naval and Defence Attaché to Poland. As the Defence Attaché to Lithuania he will be based in Tallinn, Estonia. |
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Minister of National Defence supported US strategy in Afghanistan 2009.12.02
 Late in the evening of December 1 Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė talked on the phone to the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Alexander Vershbow. In the conversation the Minister affirmed Lithuania's support to suggestions of the President Obama regarding the new strategy in Afghanistan including the objective to transfer responsibility for security in several regions of Afghanistan from ISAF to the Afghan National Defence Forces as of 2011.
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Canada accredited new Defence Attaché to Lithuania 2009.12.01
 On December 1 new Defence Attaché of Canada Col. Andre Sevigny was accredited to Lithuania at the Ministry of National Defence. The ceremony was also attended by the Vice Minister of National Defence Vytautas Umbrasas and Head of the Office of the Canadian Embassy in Vilnius Habib Massoud, and other representatives of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Col. A. Sevigny entered service in the Canadian Forces in 1979: he served with various divisions of the armed forces, he was deployed to the international missions in Cyprus, the former Yugoslavia and Albania with the Canadian Forces. Col. A. Sevigny also held a position in the National Defence Headquarters (Ottawa), NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (Mons, Belgium), worked as military advisor in the Canadian Mission to OSCE in Vienna (Austria), and in the work group of the Canadian National Committee for ISAF operation in Afghanistan matters. |
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