October 19-20, Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė will pay a formal visit the UK by invitation of Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth.

October 19-20, Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė will pay a formal visit the UK by invitation of Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth.

During the visit leading defence authorities of Lithuania and the UK will conduct a bilateral meeting and touch upon the participation of both countries in the multinational mission in Afghanistan, points of regional security, opinions on the new NATO's Strategic Concept, transformation of NATO's military structures underway, regional airspace patrolling mission NATO conducts over the Baltic States, partnership with the Alliance and cooperation with Eastern Europe. R. Juknevičienė and B. Ainsworth will also address points of bilateral military cooperation.

During the visit the Minister also plans to meet with Chairs of Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, as well as other politicians, officers and political scientists.

On October 20 Lithuanian Minister will be giving an announcement in a round-table discussion at the world-leading institute for the debate and analysis of international issues „Chatham House" on the topic „European Security from the perspective of the Baltic region".

In the meetings on the visit's schedule the Minister and her delegation will be accompanied by the Lithuanian Ambassador to the UK HE Oskaras Jusys and HM Ambassador to Lithuania HE Simon Butt.