On February 11 the 12 iteration of Lithuanian and Belarusian arms control experts work meeting took place in Vilnius to take stock of implementation of bilateral cooperation arms control and security and confidence-building measures last year.
Lithuanian inspectors visited Belarus twice in 2019 to carry out a verification visit to a military unit and to observe the largest field training exercise of 2019. Belarusian arms control experts also carried out an overflight inspection, a verification visit to the Griffin Brigade, and observed international Exercise Iron Wolf 2019-I.
Such annual meetings of Lithuanian and Belarusian arms control inspectors have been held in turn in both countries since 2009, the previous meeting was held in Minsk.
The OSCE Vienna Document on Confidence and Security-Building Measures 2011 invite the countries to draw up additional bilateral, multilateral or regional cooperation agreements to increase mutual trust and transparency. A bilateral agreement “On additional confidence and security-building measures” signed between Lithuania and Belarus in 2001 provides for annual exchange of additional information on the armed forces between the two neighboring countries and an additional visit to one military unit in each other’s territory. The countries also commit to inform each other about one largest military exercise and to invite arms control inspectors from the other party to the agreement to observe the exercise, as well as address other military cooperation measures.
Photo credit: Alfredas Pliadis (MoD)
