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On 3-4 December in Brussels, Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius and heads of diplomacy of NATO countries discussed the operation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, the Alliance’s open door policy, anti-missile defence, NATO’s relations with Russia, the developments in drafting NATO’s new Strategic Concept and other issues of security and international policy.

Lithuania welcomed the decision of the U.S. administration to send additional forces to Afghanistan.

“These measures together with the processes of reintegration and reconciliation, as well as dynamic actions of the Government of Afghanistan will contribute to the improvement of the security situation in the country. Lithuania will do its best to support these efforts by participating in NATO’s ISAF operation and being responsible for the Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Ghor Province,” the Vice-Minister said.

During the meetings of the NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia Commissions, main issues of NATO’s cooperation with these countries were discussed. Lithuania urged NATO to support the reforms in Georgia and Ukraine, to strengthen its representation in Georgia and highlighted Ukraine’s role as a stabilizer in the region. Тhе important contribution of the two countries into NATO’s mission in Afghanistan was also noted.

The ministers discussed the prospects of NATO enlargement. The allies endorsed the principle provision that in the future Ukraine and Georgia would become NATO members and noted that the role of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and of the NATO-Georgia Commission was particularly important in the preparation process.

The Alliance evaluated the progress of integration with NATO in the Western Balkan region, invited Montenegro to join the Membership Action Plan and promised to provide Bosnia and Herzegovina with this instrument after it implements the necessary reforms.

“We remain faithful to the principle of NATO’s open door and we support the goals of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Georgia and Ukraine to establish themselves in Euro-Atlantic structures,” Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius said.

The integration of the U.S. anti-missile defence system into NATO’s mission of anti-missile defence was also discussed during the meeting. The ministers noted that the new U.S. anti-missile defence system was more reliable, effective, flexible and should cover all the territory of the Alliance.

At the first formal ministerial meeting after the Georgia conflict, the NATO-Russia Council made decisions regarding improvement of the Council’s structures, work programme for 2010 and general review of security challenges on Afghanistan, terrorism, piracy, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,  natural and technical disasters. NATO foreign ministers agreed that the Alliance would continue to monitor the dynamics of the processes in Russia.

Lithuania noted that the progress in NATO-Russia cooperation depended first of all on the restoration of confidence and implementation of obligations. The allies urged Russia to be more transparent in organizing military exercises, to respect Georgia’s territorial integrity, to revoke the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to fulfil the conditions of the ceasefire agreement that had been reached in August 2008.

“We took into account Russia’s propositions regarding the treaty on European security and consider the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as the best format to discuss them”, Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius said.