Lithuania to keep troops in Iraq and Afghanistan until the end of 2005

WAR.WIRE

Lithuania to keep troops in Iraq and Afghanistan until the end of 2005
VILNIUS (AFP) Sep 30, 2004
Lithuania's parliament voted Thursday to extend the presence of Lithuanian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan at their current strength until the end of 2005.

The decision of the parliament allows the government to send up to 300 Lithuanian troops on missions abroad next year, including 120 to Iraq and 70 to Afghanistan, the parliament's press service said.

"The decision will allow us to fulfill our comittments and to have the same international activity as last year," Lithuanian Defence Minister Linas Linkevicius told AFP.

Linkevicius also said that Lithuania in 2005 may increase its presence in Kosovo, compared to this year.

Lithuania, which joined NATO in March this year, also has its troops in international missions in Bosnia Herzegovina and Georgia.