News

On October 25-26, the Lithuanian delegation under the guidance of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Giedrius Čekuolis visited NATO HQ and met the members of the NATO Senior Political Committee Reinforced (SPC(R)). The NATO Deputy Assistant of Secretary General, Ambassador Daniel Speckhard, presided over the meeting. The Lithuanian representatives introduced the member countries to the third program, approved by the Lithuanian Government in September 24 2001 and informed them about the goals and the ways of implementation of the national program, as well as about the tasks that had already been completed. The Committee was satisfied with the Lithuania’s achievements in regional co-operation, close neighbourly relations, active participation in the NATO-led peacekeeping operations in the Balkans and combating terrorism. The members of the Committee highly evaluated the work of the Lithuanian Government in informing the Lithuanian society about the main aims of the country’s foreign and security policy and the process of the integration into the NATO, noting the increasing public support to the NATO membership. The member countries also supported the Lithuanian army reform aimed to set the goals according to the available financial resources and to increase Lithuania’s input into the collective defence of the Alliance. During his visit to Brussels, Deputy Minister Čekuolis also met the Ambassadors of the NATO member-countries and participated on the celebration held on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Council of Euro-Atlantic Partnership.