ARMENIAN DM TO PAY VISIT TO LITHUANIA

Baltic News Service
June 14, 2006 Wednesday 11:56 PM EET

Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan is starting a two-day visit
to Lithuania on Thursday.

According to a press release from the Lithuanian Defense Ministry,
Sargsyan is scheduled to meet with acting Lithuanian Defense Minister
Gediminas Kirkilas to discuss Armenia’s relations with NATO, the course
of Armed Forces reforms, participation in international operations,
prospects of bilateral and regional cooperation.

Later on Thursday, the Armenian defense minister will visit the
Lithuanian parliament to meet with members of the National Security
and Defense Committee.

On Friday, Sargsyan is planned to visit the Grand Duchess Birute
Motorized Infantry Battalion in Alytus, where Armenian officers have
been interning since 2005.

According to the press release, Lithuania has been cooperating
with Armenia in the field of defense since 2002. Lithuania finances
Armenian officers’ studies at the Lithuanian Military Academy and
the Baltic Defense College. In early March this year, Lithuania
accredited its first defense attache to Armenia, Lieutenant Colonel
Albertas Charzevskis.

Sargsyan has been heading the Armenian Defense Ministry since 2000.

He also held the office of defense minister in 1993-1995, later worked
as interior minister and national security minister, held other high
positions in the country’s security structures.

This is his third visit to Lithuania. He already visited the Baltic
state in 2002 and 2004.

Irakli Okruashvili, the defense minister of another South Caucasus
country, Georgia, visited Lithuania earlier this week.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress