President in the Media

Baltic Business News: Lithuanian president requests NATO defense plan for Baltic region

By Marge Tubalkain-Trellmarge

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, at Saturday's meeting in Riga of Baltic States' presidents, advocated a NATO emergency plan for the Baltic region, saying that five years have passed since the countries joined NATO, but "still no plan.", LETA writes.

"We jointly ask NATO to make a defence plan for Baltic countries for emergencies. We've been members of NATO for 5 years, but as alliance's we still have no defence plan for emergiencies. Protecting our interests is important for us," she said, ERR News reports.

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, in their addresses, made no mention that there was no NATO emergency plan.

Ants Laaneots, Lieutenant General in Estonian Defence Forces said in the beginning of October to ERR News that NATO has a defence plan for Baltics.

As reported, the three leaders held a working luncheon in early afternoon, and later participated in a debate in the Small Guild Hall on joint Baltic security interests.

Press Service of the President