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<TITLE>Lithuanian Defense Minister Linas Linkevicius...Partnership for
Peace in the Baltic Region</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+4">Partnership for Peace in
the Baltic Region</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+3">Lithuanian Minister of
Defense Linas Linkevicius</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER></CENTER>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">In the Baltic region, we are
developing our defense system. Therefore, I would like to describe our
current achievements, our priorities, and the difficulties that we must
face. Five years ago, we started building our defense system from scratch.
As a young democracy, we were impatient. Overnight, we wanted to cover 50
years of development. This was impossible, but we have proceeded as
rapidly as we could in order to become a Partner, which will permit us to
contribute to the joint efforts that are now advancing European stability.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Clearly, a small country such as
Lithuania cannot guarantee its security alone. Therefore, Lithuania can
only protect itself against internal and external sources of instability
by looking to stable collective security institutions such as NATO. Every
country, including Russia and Ukraine, must decide whether or not to join
the security-promoting process that NATO represents in order to end the
misunderstandings and other barriers that have arisen in past decades.
Someday we may become a member of NATO or the WEU. As we build our own
defense security systems, however, our greatest priority is to assure that
every step is taken in parallel with regional confidence-building.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">THE IMPORTANCE OF
REGIONAL COOPERATION</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Since the Baltic countries
(Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) are small, we must develop joint defense
positions and structures. The three Baltic States recently signed a
trilateral agreement on military cooperation in which we established ad
hoc groups to develop programs of regional importance. We must determine
what each country can do individually and identify where assistance is
required.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">In fact, regional cooperation is
needed on an even wider scale. For this reason, I will stress the
substantial contributions of our neighbor, Denmark, which have helped
improve the dialogue between the West and the countries of Eastern and
Central Europe. Because they share the same sense of independence,
dignity, and values, smaller countries such as Denmark and Lithuania seem
to understand each other more easily. Thus, our smaller countries are able
to develop excellent programs together. In fact, some of these programs
may serve as models that will help develop the political dialogue between
East and West: the Baltic Battalion, for which we are training people and
creating compatible structures, may serve as a framework for still larger
projects.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">When Western countries ask how
they can help us, it is sometimes difficult to respond. Under the
framework of Western assistance to the Baltic Battalion, which we have
signed with Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Great Britain, Germany, and
the United States, however, our responsibilities are clear. For instance,
Nordic countries are providing training centers for use by United Nations
peacekeepers; Great Britain is providing basic training for our soldiers
as well as language training. Such well-defined programs are very helpful
and should be established on a wider scale.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">THE BENEFITS OF
PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Over the last five years, we
sent approximately 300 young people from our military institutions to
train in Western countries. This investment is already paying off by
infusing new blood into our system. And in addition to studying and
training, our young people are taking part in all possible Partnership for
Peace exercises. This year, we doubled both the number of our participants
and the number of events in which we participated. We will continue to
increase our participation, because the PFP activities provide excellent
opportunities both to develop and to learn how we are doing.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Among the exercises in which we
have recently participated, the 1995 trilateral naval exercises among the
three Baltic countries were of special importance. This year, too, we
participated in other important PFP peacekeeping exercises with
Lithuanian, Polish, and Danish soldiers. Also, in August of 1994,
Lithuania participated in peacekeeping exercises with United Nations
Special Forces. By participating in these exercises, we are shaping a
mutually beneficial political environment.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">LITHUANIAN
PARTICIPATION IN PEACEKEEPING</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><B><FONT SIZE="+1">AND AIR-SPACE CONTROL</FONT></B><FONT SIZE="+0"></FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Lithuania is involved in two
especially important programs: peacekeeping in the former Yugoslavia and
air-space control. In the former Yugoslavia, Lithuanian platoons have been
working in peacekeeping missions in close cooperation with Danish
battalions. One Lithuanian platoon has already returned. In order to fully
utilize its experience, many of its members were assigned to positions in
the Ministry of Defense or on the general staff. Another platoon has just
left for the former Yugoslavia to continue this mission.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Our new air-space control system
program will help us increase safety, integrate structures, and promote
cooperation among countries. It is an excellent opportunity to cooperate
with other countries, especially with our neighbor Poland.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">COORDINATING EFFORTS
AND PREVENTING DUPLICATION</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Despite our successes, we still
have problems. We must utilize other organizations, such as the WEU, and
continue our work on peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and humanitarian
rescue operations. In working together, we must coordinate our efforts so
we can progress smoothly, while avoiding duplication. In particular, since
the planning cells in both NATO and the WEU are active, we need to
coordinate their activities to avoid duplication or competition. When the
Baltic countries are involved, coordination is very important because we
cannot take part in many programs.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">REGIONAL COOPERATION AS
A FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">We know that instability will
not bring us closer to membership in NATO or the WEU. Poor relations with
our neighbor Russia will not help either. So our first foreign policy
priority is to continue our efforts to maintain normal relations and a
fluent dialogue with our neighbors, especially the Nordic countries,
Belarus, and Russia. And in conferences and seminars like the NATO
Workshop, we hope to show that we are working with each other to end our
isolation and to keep each other informed of our activities and future
plans. We will solve our security problems only through communication and
the respect of our Partners.</FONT></FONT> </P>
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