THE MILITARY STRATEGY OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA Approved by Order No. … of ………. 2004 of the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania CONTENTS 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS.......................................................................................... 2 2. SECURITY ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................... 2 3. SECURITY INTERESTS AND MILITARY MISSIONS ......................................... 4 4. STRATEGIC CONCEPTS ......................................................................................... 5 5. MANAGEMENT, COMMAND AND FUNCTIONS OF THE ARMED FORCES 8 6. MILITARY PLANNING GUIDANCE .................................................................... 10 7. FINAL PROVISIONS .............................................................................................. 11 1 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS 1.1. The Lithuanian Armed Forces are an integral part of the country’s civic society. By executing the provisions of the Constitution, the laws and the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Armed Forces defend the national sovereignty, territorial integrity, democratic constitutional order and human and civil rights and freedoms. The society shall execute a democratic control of the Lithuanian Armed Forces through civil state institutions. 1.2. The aim of the Military Strategy of the Republic of Lithuania (further on referred to as Strategy) is to establish the ways of using the Lithuanian Armed Forces in order to implement the state security and defence policy goals during peace, crisis and war. This Strategy derives from the National Security Strategy 2004 and shall replace the Lithuanian Military Defence Strategy 2000. 1.3. With the view to the changed security environment, the threats and dangers emerging from it and following the provisions of the NATO’s Strategic Concept, the Strategy shall define the military aims of Lithuania, the measures (strategic concepts) needed for their implementation, the functions of the Armed forces and the military planning guidance. 1.4. The Lithuanian Armed Forces play an important role in strengthening relations with strategic partners, promoting regional co-operation and developing friendly relations with the neighbouring countries based on an open dialogue, transparency and confidence. By participating in international peacekeeping and crises response operations, the Armed Forces of Lithuania, an active member of NATO and the European Union, strengthen the national security as well as the security of the whole Euro-Atlantic community. 2. SECURITY ENVIRONMENT 2.1. Euro-Atlantic integration. At the beginning of the 21st century, the international community does not only face new challenges, but also acquires new possibilities for establishing wellbeing and safe environment. The membership of Lithuania and other Central and Eastern European countries in NATO and the European Union has enhanced stability and security in Europe. Further Euro-Atlantic integration bears a crucial significance for ensuring the long-term security of Lithuania. 2.1.1. Over the past decade, NATO has flexibly and successfully adapted to the new security environment, has strengthened and expanded. The Republic of Lithuania has become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance at an important moment of its history. Collective defence is a key task of NATO activities; however, at the same time, the role of NATO in enhancing international security outside the territory of the Alliance has increased. NATO develops the work of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Partnership for Peace Programme, intensifies relations with Russia and the Ukraine and promotes the Mediterranean Dialogue. In response to challenges and threats to the international security, NATO has taken preventive measures, including use of the military force. 2.1.2. The changed security environment and new tasks arising for NATO have caused the transformation of the Alliance. With the view to the new challenges and in order to achieve better efficiency, the NATO command and control structure is being reduced, armed forces of NATO members are restructured so as to emphasise their capabilities and reaction time, rather than their size and territorial defence. NATO countries are reorganising their armed forces into modern and interoperable forces, 2 capable of participating in operations of any kind including high-intensity operations outside the Alliance territory. 2.1.3. Enlargement of the European Union into the ten new Central and Southern European states has also contributed to enhancing the stability of the Euro- Atlantic area. The European Security and Defence Policy, which is currently being drafted, shall ensure better contribution of the European Union to strengthening the international stability and security. The development of the European Union military and civil crises management capabilities should be done in parallel and complement each other. 2.2. Regional forums and multilateral projects also have a positive impact on regional as well as global stability. 2.2.1. Close co-operation of Nordic and Baltic countries in the sphere of defence enables a better co-ordination of actions in various international security organisations. The experience of successful regional co-operation in the Northern Europe is used for developing relations with farther situated regions of Southern Caucasus and Central Asia, thus promoting expansion of the stability area. 2.2.2. The Vilnius Group remains an important forum in the Central and South- Eastern Europe for helping the countries, which are not yet NATO members, prepare for integration. 2.2.3. Co-operation of the Baltic Sea region countries enhances the mutual confidence among the countries and transparency of the security policy. 2.2.4. Elaboration of the Broader Middle East Initiative and Mediterranean Dialogue is an important factor for strengthening inter-regional co-operation and co- ordination of fight against new challenges and threats. Their success is an important condition for ensuring long-term global peace and stability. 2.3. Assessment of challenges, dangers and threats. The international security tendencies are still contradictory. In some regions, military conflicts are on-going or their probability remains high. In many regions of the world, the extent of danger caused by non-traditional threats is increasing, the number of cases of use of military force is growing. Terrorist attacks all over the world have demonstrated that no country is fully protected against the threat of international terrorism. The probability that terrorist groups or states related to such groups could obtain weapons of mass destruction has increased. The problems caused by unequal wellbeing, radical ideologies, industrial disasters or nature calamities are faced more frequently. Although Lithuania does not consider any foreign state its enemy and the probability of a military threat for Lithuania is insignificant, the probability of non-traditional threats is increasing. 2.3.1. Conventional military threats. There is no direct military threat to Lithuania at present. In the immediate security environment of Lithuania, there are still countries where the democratic constitutional order has not been fully established and where comparatively large military forces are preserved; therefore, the probability for threats of a military character in the future persists. 2.3.2. Provocations, demonstration of military force and threat to use force. Lithuania maintains friendly relations with all the neighbouring states and seeks not to create a precedent for an international conflict by any deliberate or unintentional actions. Lithuania acknowledges as legitimate the exercises and other military activities executed in the neighbouring countries; however, it observes the military actions taken in the neighbourhood in order to avoid erroneous identification of alleged threats. The mid-term and long-term probability of the danger of provocation, demonstration of force and threat to use force against Lithuania remains valid. 3 2.3.3. Regional conflicts. The Alliance borders some unstable regions suffering from internal conflicts caused by political, ethnical or religious clashes, which can get out of control and expand outside the region. The unstable situation in those regions may influence not only the neighbouring countries, but also the members of NATO and the European Union, including Lithuania. Crisis prevention and management measures implemented by NATO and other institutions on a permanent basis should reduce the danger of expansion of regional conflicts. 2.3.4. Terrorism. Terrorism raises a serious threat for the security of the international community as well as of the Alliance, the European Union and Lithuania. For Lithuania, this threat is more of an external character, as the internal conditions are not favourable for a terrorist network to appear. Lithuania can become a potential target of the international terrorism or a transit country for terrorism against another state. Lithuanian citizens abroad and Lithuanian soldiers participating in international operations can also become victims of terrorist attacks. As terrorism still raises threat all over the world, the probability of terrorist attacks against Lithuania and its citizens remains imminent and can increase in the future. 2.3.5. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The number of countries which seek to develop or acquire nuclear weapons