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Lithuanian-Polish Peacekeeping Battalion LITPOLBAT

Lithuania's independence and its declared desire for integration with NATO laid the foundations for the development of military cooperation between Poland and Lithuania. This began with an agreement signed by both countries' Ministries of Defense June 15, 1993 in Vilnius. Training exchanges and joint exercises at squad and platoon level began in 1993.

Another stimulus for military cooperation between the two countries was the initiative of creating a joint military unit. This came from the then president of Lithuania, Algirdas Brazauskas, during his visit to Poland in February 1995. The initiative pointed to the need for a Lithuanian-Polish peacekeeping battalion. The recruitment of the battalion staff in 1997 became one of the most important elements of the Polish-Lithuanian treaty on friendly relations and neighborly cooperation.

For Poland's part, the joint battalion currently consists of forces separated from the 4th Suwalki Brig. Gen. Zygmunt Podhorski Armored Cavalry Brigade in Orzysz, which is a part of the 15th Warmia and Mazuria King Wladyslaw Jagiello Mechanized Division. The Lithuanian forces of LITPOLBAT (abbreviated name of the battalion) have been separated from the Great Lithuanian Princess Biiute Motorized Infantry Battalion in Alytus, which belonged to the "Iron Wolf" Motorized Infantry Brigade.

The battalion has nearly 800 troops - 435 Polish and 351 Lithuanian. As of Dec. 31, 1998, the battalion was ready to perform tasks as part of peacekeeping missions, and April 14, 1999, it received a banner from the presidents of Lithuania and Poland. In the spring of 2000, Poland gave its Lithuanian partners several armored personnel carriers and a supply of firearms.

The purpose of the joint Lithuanian-Polish military formation is to keep and restore international peace and security and to take part in rescue and humanitarian actions undertaken by the United Nations, OSCE, WEU and NATO. The unit has already taken part in joint maneuvers, including "Brave Eagle" in Poland and "Amber Hope" in Lithuania.

Evaluating military cooperation between Lithuania and Poland at the end of the 1990s, Lithuania's then minister of defense Ceslovas Stankevicius said: "I think it's very close, productive and efficient cooperation. It's founded on good understanding on all levels-from ministers to soldiers. It's very important to us that there is a joint Lithuanian-Polish battalion ready to undertake substantial peacekeeping operations. I believe that in the future, the battalion will be able to enter the European corps created by three countries: Poland, Denmark and Germany. We are grateful to Poland for its physical aid, including weapons and military equipment."