At a meeting with Armenia’s Head of Defence Policy and Planning Department Levon Ayvazyan the Lithuanian delegation discussed security situation in Southern Caucasus and the Baltic region, topical defence policy issues, and prospects of bilateral military cooperation.
During the visit the Lithuanian and Armenian sides endorsed a bilateral defence cooperation action plan for 2017. According to the document, the Armenian Armed Forces will send personnel to undergo the English Language Course at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, two medical courses at the MD Jonas Basanavičius Military Medical Service, and international instructors course at the Lithuanian Armed Forces School.
It is planned that bilateral political-military consultations will take place in Lithuania next year. Also, the Lithuanian Armed Forces plans delegating representatives to observe a military exercise in Armenia next year and a high level visit of to Armenia is expected.
Time of the bilateral consultations coincides with formal accreditation of the Lithuanian Defence Attaché to Armenia, Lieutenant Colonel Vytautas Rakauskis, based in Tbilisi, and his first visit to Armenia.
On December 2 the Lithuanian MoD delegation headed by the Lithuanian Ambassador in Armenia Erikas Petrikas were received by Defence Minister of Armenia Vagen Sargsyan.
The Lithuanian delegation also visited the Ministry of Emergency Situtaions, met with Karin Marmsoler, Policy Advisor for the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, and Director of the Regional Studies Centre Richard Giragosian.
Through the cooperation with Armenia Lithuania supports its aspirations to implement the Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO, provides assistance in the area of military training and education, shares experience of armed forces reform, and provides consultations in specific areas, such as public relations, military police, and cyber security.