The Lithuanian Minister of Defence has expressed its wish for a closer military cooperation between the Baltic and Nordic nations.  The Ministry has issued a press release after the traditional Nordic-Baltic Defence Ministers Meeting in Helsinki on 4 and 5 November.

During this meeting Lithuania’s Defence Minister Rasa Jukneviciene expressed her wish that three Baltic States to be included in future major defence cooperation projects in Northern Europe, the Ministry of Defence press release stated.

According to the press release the ministers discussed regional cooperation initiatives in Northern and Eastern Europe, with the main focus on Russia, NATO issues and Sweden’s presidency over the European Union.

It has to be noted that previously Lithuania emphasised its military cooperation with Poland and NATO partners.  It could be assumed that the military cooperation with Poland will be on the high agenda in Vilnius, but the latest Minister’s call for Baltic-Nordic cooperation could be regarded as a move to open a ‘new window’ in Lithuania’s strategic security planning.

At the session on Afghanistan stabilization the Minister Jukneviciene informed her counterparts about Lithuania’s plans to develop Afghan police training project with

other partners in Afghanistan’s Ghor province where Lithuania heads a Provincial Reconstruction Team, the press release says.

At the end of the meeting, the Nordic and Baltic defence ministers issued a joint communiqué on Nordic and Baltic participation in the mission in Afghanistan.

The next meeting of Nordic and Baltic defence ministers is scheduled to take place in Norway next autumn.