Visits

Visit by President Dalia Grybauskaitė to Afghanistan, 11 June 2010

President Dalia Grybauskaitė, accompanied by the Chief of Defense of Lithuania, Major General Arvydas Pocius, visited Lithuanian troops in Afghanistan's Ghor and Kandahar provinces, and in Kabul.

The President and her delegation flew to Afghanistan by a small jet plane offered for the trip by the United States European Command.

President Grybauskaitė went to Afghanistan to get on ground information about the activities of Lithuanian troops serving within the International Security Assistance Force and to discuss with members of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor the province's development agenda. According to the President, it is important that specialists from the US, Japan, Denmark, Ukraine, and Georgia stationed with the Lithuanian-led PRT are engaged not only in security operations, but are also actively involved in civil work and joint projects. Lithuania's partners within the PRT context are the European Commission, Germany, Greece, and Iceland. Such a wide circle of support shows that Lithuanian initiatives have international backing and respect from local people, the President said. This was also asserted by members of the Chaghcharan community who held poetry readings and a concert at a public library built by the Provincial Reconstruction Team. President Grybauskaitė handed over religious and other books in the languages used in Afghanistan as well as Afghan music instruments to the library.

The President also visited the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces deployed in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar Province to get acquainted with its tasks and preparedness. The President gave high assessment to the fact that NATO partners describe the special operation unit of Lithuania as one of the most professional in Afghanistan. High ranking Allied officers confirmed it when they met with Dalia Grybauskaitė at the military base. According to the US Ambassador to Lithuania, Anne Derse, who travelled to Afghanistan together with Dalia Grybauskaitė, Lithuania is a very good NATO partner and a great friend of the United States in Europe.

In her meetings with Lithuanian servicemen in Chaghcharan, Kandahar and Kabul, President Grybauskaitė underlined that the successful activities of our troops created Lithuania's reputation as a reliable partner in the eyes of its allies.

"No matter how far from your homeland you serve, your work and dedication protect the interests of Lithuania and make it stronger. The experience you have gained is and will be needed. You are the pillar of further modernization of the Lithuanian Armed Forced. I wish you to serve safely and successfully here and - when you come back home - in Lithuania," the President said.