News

On 11 December, Lithuania’s Embassy to Belarus organised a conference “Contemporary Challenges of International Security: NATO Partnership” thus marking the end of the term as the NATO Contact Point Embassy. This mission is assigned to Lithuanian Embassy from September 2004 till 31st December 2008.

Guests from the NATO headquarters, Lithuania, Belarus, foreign diplomats residing in Minsk and defence attachés took part in the event.

Lithuanian Ambassador to Belarus Edminas Bagdonas welcomed the participants of the conference.

During the event, NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Security Cooperation and Partnership Robert Simmons, Undersecretary of the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania Andrius Krivas, Permanent Representative of Lithuania on the North Atlantic Council Ambassador Linas Linkevičius, representatives from the Belarusian ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and for Emergency Situations, Faculty of International Relations of Belarusian State University, independent Belarusian analysts and academic youth gave speeches and participated in discussions.

Speakers dedicated most attention to the role of NATO in Eastern Europe and relations of the North Atlantic Alliance with other regional organisations.

A.Krivas and L.Linkevičius shared their experience of Lithuania’s membership in NATO, named problems, which the international community was facing in the context of international security, and which were important for Lithuania and the whole of Eastern Europe. They also shared their experience of Lithuania’s participation in international peacekeeping operations and presented activities of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Ghor Province, Afghanistan.

Journalists, academicians, public figures also took part in the event. About fifty participants, who gathered at the Embassy, took active interest in advantages of Lithuania’s membership in NATO, perspectives of joining other regional organisations and their significance for Lithuania.

A delegation of representatives from the NATO headquarters and Lithuania also met with First Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Igor Petrishenko, also with Secretary of State of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Anisimov.