Lithuania invited to the Croatian-Czech project of helicopter pilot’s training

 

The talks were on bilateral cooperation, with emphasis on the development of joint projects within the NATO Smart Defence Concept, the participation of the CAF and Lithuanian Armed Forces’ members in international missions and operations, on the defence reforms and the development of defence capabilities in the NATO framework.

Deputy Minister Tafra said that from our side there was a desire to deepen and intensify cooperation especially in areas of training, exercise and education of members of the armed forces, all aimed at maintaining and further developing defence capabilities. As an opportunity for development of project-oriented cooperation, Deputy Minister Tafra mentioned the possibility of involving the Republic of Lithuania in the Croatian-Czech project of helicopter pilot’s training, special forces cooperation and cooperation in the training of service dogs. He also expressed her satisfaction with the joint contribution to allied operations – primarily in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, where she particularly emphasized the cooperation in the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Changcharan in period 2006-2010.

Gen. Arvydas Pocius thanked for the cooperation on the mountainous helicopter pilot’s training that started in 2010, pointing out that so far four groups of Lithuanian helicopter crew conducted such training, which for predominantly lowland country like Lithuania was of great importance.

As an important area of defence cooperation between the two countries, Geneeral Pocius also mentioned the joint training of special operations forces.

General Pocius also presented a project of the Energy Security Centre in which Lithuania participates with five other countries. As he said, this is an important initiative, which, besides economic and political, has a military background. He stressed that one of the exercises that would soon be carried out aims to find ways to keep combat capability in conditions when conventional power sources were not available. He pointed out that the Centre for Energy security could be an excellent platform for further strengthening of cooperation between Croatia and Lithuania.

At the end of the meeting, Deputy Defence Minister thanked the Lithuanian partners for the support Croatia had on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, and stressed that the Lithuanian experience was of special importance for Croatia, pointing out the US-Adriatic Charter, which was formed on the US-Baltic Charter model. She also expressed her satisfaction that the same day when it was foreseen for Croatia to become a full member of the European Union, Lithuania would take over the EU presidency.

During his visit to the Defence Ministry and General Staff, Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius also met the Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić.  During the meeting, the talks were about the transformation of the Croatian Armed Forces and NATO integration, participation in international military operations and joint participation in international military exercises, education and training, and the situation in the region.

In the frame of his three-day official bilateral visit to the Republic of Croatia, General Pocius will also visit the Army Command in Karlovac and Training Centre for Service and Police Dogs in Dugo Selo, the Special Operations Battalion in Delnice, Antiterrorist Unit Lučko, Pilot Training Centre in Zemunik and Lora Naval Base in Split where he will also visit the Jackal Stone 12 exercise and meet the representatives of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Lithuania who take part in the exercise.

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