LITHUANIAN DEFENSE COUNCIL APPROVES INCREASING

UNCLAS VILNIUS 000527 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/RPM (SWANDERSON),PM/PPA (SKWAK) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL PGOV LH AF SUBJECT: LITHUANIAN DEFENSE COUNCIL APPROVES INCREASING TROOP DEPLOYMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL OPS ¶1. Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis told the Ambassador May 19 that he expects speedy passage through parliament of legislation increasing the number of troops the Lithuanian military may deploy to participate in international operations. The Lithuanian State Defense Council, an inter-ministerial group over which President Valdas Adamkus presides, on May 18 approved draft legislation to raise the ceiling on troop deployments for such missions from 330 to 350, authorizing the increase through the end of 2005. The adjustment will allow the GOL to meet anticipated staffing requirements of the provincial reconstruction team that Lithuania will lead in Chaghcharan, Afghanistan. The proposal will also permit the MOD to redeploy personnel from one theater of operation to any other without prior parliamentary authorization. ¶2. At the same session, the Council also approved a draft proposal raising the ceiling for 2006 to 420, and formally approved Lithuania's imminent launch of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Ghowr province of Western Afghanistan. The President will likely introduce the bill in the Parliament the week beginning May 23. Mull