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Lithuanian, Dutch defense officials discuss security cooperation

Xinhua, April 10, 2017 Adjust font size:

Dutch defense minister and chief of armed forces visited Lithuania on Monday to discuss security issues with their Lithuanian counterparts.

Dutch Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Chief of Armed Forces of the Netherlands General Tom Middendorp discussed global security issues with Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimondas Karoblis and the Chief of Lithuanian Armed Forces General Jonas Vytautas Zukas.

Lithuanian and Dutch defense officials discussed Lithuania's efforts to increase defense spending. Dutch defense leaders also visited their troops deployed in central Lithuania.

Last month, Dutch personnel completed their deployment in Lithuania as part of NATO's enhanced forward presence (EFP) battalion. Around 250 Dutch soldiers are assigned to a German-led multinational battalion of around 1,200 soldiers.

"I was looking forward to seeing my troops in Lithuania very much," Hennis-Plasschaert was quoted as saying, emphasizing the need for NATO allies "to keep displaying unity and solidarity."

NATO said the EFP battalion is peaceful, and the battalions have been deployed in Lithuania and other Baltic states to attend joint military training and defend the countries in the case of military conflict.

The presence of Dutch soldiers and the EFP battalion is part of a NATO agreement reached by member states at the summit in Warsaw last year.

Lithuania, a small Baltic State, has asked for increased military presence of its allies amid security tensions following conflicts in eastern Ukraine. Endit