Minister R.Karoblis also met with Adjutant-General of the Pennsylvania National Guard Brigadier General Anthony J. Carrelli. The meeting addressed the cooperation between the Lithuanian National Defence System and the Pennsylvania National Guard which was praised by both, the U.S. and the Lithuanian official. “I am happy Lithuania has an exceptional partner that the Pennsylvania National Guard is. We have been working together for 24 years and I know, we will be working for many more years to come. Our cooperation allows us gain knowledge as well as to share ours,” R. Karoblis said.
BG Antony J. Carrelli thanked for the excellent quality of cooperation with the Lithuanian Armed Forces and invited transferring it into more areas. “Our cooperation makes me proud. I appreciate seeing Lithuanian officers in our exercises, we take part in operations together. My major wish is to involve more of the civilian sector into our cooperation,” General said.
The officials also talked about the possible cooperation Sin operations, contribution of the Pennsylvania National Guard to the enhanced U.S. deterrence measures in the region, expert and financial support from the National Guard to the development of military infrastructure in Lithuania, and other potential future cooperation projects.
The cooperation between the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Pennsylvania National Guard is developed under the State Partnerships Program. Next year the cooperation will have been developed for 25 years.
On June 4-8 Minister of National Defence of Lithuania Raimundas Karoblis is conducting a visit in the United States of America. He will attend a conference held by the Atlantic Council think tank regarding enhancement of security in North-Eastern Europe, and meet with high-ranking U.S. officials.
On June 7 Minister R. Karoblis will deliver an address at a conference in Washington with participation of high level representatives from the U.S. Administration and the Congress and international security and defence experts. The Latvian and the Estonian Defence Ministers Raimonds Bergmanis and Margus Tsahkna, respectively, are also expected to attend.
The Minister of Defence will meet with members of the U.S. Congress and Senate, Chief of the Pennsylvania National Guard Bureau General Joseph L. Lengyel, Adjutant-General of the Pennsylvania National Guard Brigadier General Tony Carrelli, other U.S. officials.
The United States of America is Lithuania’s strategic partner and a key ally to our security. Defence cooperation between Lithuania and the U.S. particularly intensified and the scope of U.S. military presence increased when the security situation in Europe changed in spring 2014. The U.S. was the first ally to deploy augmentation of the NATO Air Policing Mission – additional aircraft ad personnel for continued presence in the Baltic states. U.S. troops are training in exercises an other events of defence cooperation held in Lithuania as part of the NATO Readiness Action Plan (RAP) approved at the NATO Summit in Wales on 5 September 2014, the United States also maintain rotating presence in the Republic of Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, implements the European Reassurance Initiative, and other security measures. The U.S. is also the framework nation of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battlegroup in Poland as the eastern flank of the Alliance is strengthened.
The defence cooperation between Lithuania and the U.S. was particularly boosted by the signature of cooperation agreement between the two countries in January. The document reiterates both countries’ determination to work side by side to strengthen the NATO alliance, European security, and to counter global security threats.
