News

On 25 January in Helsinki, Political Director of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eitvydas Bajarūnas participated in the meeting of representatives from the United Kingdom, Baltic and Nordic States, who are in charge of Afghanistan and Pakistan issues. The support of the Baltic and Nordic States for the Government of Afghanistan was discussed at the meeting.

E.Bajarūnas acquainted the participants of the meeting with the Afghanistan-related issues in the programme of Lithuania’s Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, Ambassador Mark Sedwill also attended the meeting in Helsinki.

He informed Baltic and Nordic diplomats about the security situation in Afghanistan, the process of reconciling the parties in conflict and reintegrating them into the society. The NATO official shared information on the preparations to start transferring responsibility for the country to the Government of Afghanistan.

In Helsinki, E.Bajarūnas also met with Political Director of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Teemu Tanner, and discussed with him important bilateral and regional issues.

Lithuania has led the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan’s province of Ghor since July 2005. Along with the Lithuanian military and civilian personnel, representatives from Denmark, Georgia, Japan, Ukraine and the U.S.A. serve and work in the PRT. Around 150 Lithuanian soldiers are deployed in Ghor Province and a squadron serves in the South of Afghanistan.