BALTIC COMMON DEFENSE, NATO TIES PLANNED.

The groundwork for common defense of the Baltic states will be laid at an upcoming meeting of the three countries’ state secretaries for defense, Latvia’s defense secretary Janis Davidovics announced. The meeting will discuss drafting of a joint Estonian-Latvian-Lithuanian national security and military doctrine, further development of the joint Baltic peacekeeping battalion (BaltBat), measures toward setting up a joint airspace monitoring system with US assistance, and the countries’ cooperation with NATO both within and beyond the Partnership for Peace program. (11)

In a related development, the Lithuanian parliament adopted a resolution on "comprehensive resistance" to aggression against the country. "Lithuania will defend itself using all available means." The resolution, confirming Lithuania’s hope for full membership in NATO, also said "No foreign state has reasons or the moral right to dispute our choice." (12) The parliament adopted the resolution in direct response to recent reports about contingency plans in Moscow to invade the Baltic states if they go ahead with plans to join NATO.

Latvia, Lithuania Dispute Offshore Zone.