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On June 18 President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai announced that the lead for security was handed over to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) nationwide. From now on the responsibility for ensuring security in all the 43 provinces of Afghanistan will be in Afghan hands with the coalition forces moving entirely into a supporting role.

 

The transfer of lead responsibility to the ANSF in Ghor province which has been protected by a Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) since 2005 took place as early as the end of 2012 but regardless of that, the 17th shift of the PRT will be performing advisory and training functions untill the closure of the PRT mission.

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 Lithuania’s third soldier deployed with KFOR
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On June 18 SFC Rolandas Rakauskas (Movement Control Centre of the Lithuanian Armed Forces) was formally deployed to the Kosovo Force (KFOR). He is the third servicemember of the Lithuanian Armed Forces who will contribute to NATO's movement control operations in ensuring a coherent withdrawal of NATO forces from Kosovo.


The servicemember will conduct a three-month service at KFOR Joint Logistic Support Group (JLSG) Headquarters in Pristina, capital of Kosovo, as air transport specialist for the Multinational Integrated Logistic Unit (MILU).

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 Minister of National Defence presented Lithuania's Common Security and Defence Policy priorities for the term of the EU Presidency to Director of the EU Satellite Centre
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EU zenklas

 

On June 14 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas presented to Director of the European Union Satellite Centre (EU SatCen) Tomaž Lovrenčič Lithuania’s priorities for the term of the EU Presidency and Lithuania’s contribution to the enhancement of the Common Security and Defence Policy.

 

“In addition to the dispute over the measures facilitating financial stability of the EU, currently prevailing in the public EU agenda, we will devote our term of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for closer cooperation with the Eastern Neighbourhood countries as well as for the enhancement of the EU energy security”, Minister Juozas Olekas said at the meeting.

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 EU defence experts outline future discussion on the EU Battlegroups in Berlin
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EU zenklas

 

On June 13 Political Director of the Ministry of National Defence Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis underlined while attending an EU ministerial meeting on defence in Berlin that fundamental solutions on the future of the EU Battlegroups (BGs) were to be found ahead of the European Council discussion coming up in December. The attendees of the meeting agreed that the concept of the EU Battlegroups was facing a great pressure – the units that had been introduced 9 years ago had not been deployed even once ever since. Moreover, member states of the European Union were not always successful in generating two EU BGs for a simultaneous standby and sometimes made do with just one. According to the Lithuanian Director for Defence Policy, the situation had to be changed given the European Union was considering taking up a more responsibility in international security.

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 Closer cooperation with the EU Satellite Centre will be discussed at the Ministry of National Defence
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EU zenklas

On June 14 Director of the EU Satellite Centre (EU SatCen) Tomaž Lovrenčič will be conducting a visit to the Ministry of National Defence. The guest will present to Defence Minister Juozas Olekas, Political Director Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis, other representatives of the Ministry of National Defence, Lithuanian Space Association, Space Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) and the Ministry of Agriculture the EU SatCen activities and will discuss the possibility for Lithuania to deepen the cooperation with this EU agency. Copernicus and Galileo, security of space programmes of the EU, as well as the role of the EU SatCen in their implementation are also expected to be discussed.

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 Lithuania strengthen partnership with France ahead of the EU Presidency
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On June 6 Political Director of the Ministry of National Defence Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis and his counterpart from the Ministry of Defence of France Michel Miraille addressed bilateral relations and Lithuania’s preparation for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

 

Dr. V.Urbelis underlined that France was Lithuania's strategic partner in preparing for the discussion at the European Council on Europe’s defence set to take place in December. At the meeting Lithuania’s priorities for the term of the Presidency, development of the EU’s capabilities and NATO-EU relations were also discussed. Both sides agreed that one of the most important joint events where both, Lithuanian and French Defence Minsters will participate, will be the high-level workshop in Paris which will focus on the EU Common Security and Defence Policy.

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 Minister of National Defence award Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Lithuania
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On June 6 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas presented the Medal of Merit of the National Defence System to Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Lithuania Lieutenant Colonel Cynthia A. Matuskevich.

 

The ceremony held at the Ministry of National Defence was also attended by Vice Minister of National Defence Marijus Velička, representatives of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces, colleagues and relatives of Lt Col C. A. Matuskevich.

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Vessel N42 Jotvingis of the Lithuanian Navy in multinational exercise BALTOPS 2013. Photo by the U.S. Navy
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