All that is missing is the formal agreement of defence ministers and chiefs of staff of Poland, Germany and Denmark to join the framework countries of the Multinational North-East Corps in Szczecin. If everything goes as planned, it could happen in a fewer months. The agreement governing this process was signed at a conference of the commanders of the Corps units.
The commanders' conference was part of the 26th anniversary of the Corps. “We summarized our activities from last year. For the first time, officers from the 10th Armoured Division participated in the conference, which this year joined the Corps, as well as colleagues from the German-French Mechanized Brigade Command, which besides joined us this year," said General-Army Dariusz Parylak, MNCNE commander.
A year ago, while celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Corps, Ministers of Defence of Poland, Germany, Denmark and Lithuania announced the start of the process of including Lithuania in the framework countries of the Szczecin unit. Today, precisely 1 year later, 4 officers signed an agreement on further action: General Peter Boysen (representing Denmark), General Christian Nawrat (Germany), General Jacek Ostrowski (Poland) and General Aurelius Alauskas (Lithuania). The Corps is increasing stronger. From my perspective, everything has already happened to become a framework country. Now the movement belongs to the defence ministers and Heads of Staff of individual states – General Parylak announced. In his opinion, this process should be formally completed in the next fewer months.
– The agreement between the Corps and the armed forces of Lithuania means to increase our contribution to the unit's command structure," explained Lithuanian General Aurelius Alauskas. – We already have in the structure of the General Corps (this Brig-Gen Arturas Radvilas, who is the deputy chief of staff for civil-military cooperation and strategical communication in the Multinational North-East Corps – ed.), in the future we will increase our contribution to the operations of the Corps," added the Lithuanian officer. After Lithuania has acquired the position of a framework state, the number of officers from that country serving in Szczecin will increase by another 20–40 people.
Gen. Dariusz Parylak besides announced fresh challenges facing the Szczecin unit. In little than six months, it will be subjected to the NATO Creval test, which will measure the readiness of the Multinational North East Corps to lead the fight in its area of responsibility, that is, the east flank of NATO.
The multi-national North-East Corps was formed on 18 September 1999, which means already in the year of Poland's accession to NATO. It was created jointly by Poland, Denmark and Germany. Today, their forces are posting to the 22nd Corps of the North Atlantic Alliance and allied countries. The multi-national North-East Corps serves in NATO as a fast consequence combat corps. liable for all NATO land troops located on the alleged east flank. It is besides ready to command NATO's fast consequence forces if they were deployed in the region and so to presume work for carrying out all NATO land operations in the north-east of Europe.
