"We are preparing to deploy if necessary 800 servicemen" in regions where NATO conducts peacekeeping operations, Jouzas Olekas told a news conference after a parliamentary meeting on national security and cooperation with NATO.
In line with a limit set by parliament, the number of Lithuanian peacekeepers must not exceed 420 servicemen until 2010.
Since 1994, Lithuanian military personnel have participated in UNPROFOR, IFOR, SFOR, KFOR and EUFOR operations in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
Lithuanian troops have also been engaged with MNF-I, OED and NTM-I in Iraq since 2003. In May 2005 Lithuania assumed responsibility for a multinational Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Ghowr Province of Afghanistan.
Olekas said the Lithuanian contingent in Afghanistan will grow from 200 to 240 personnel in 2009, and that annual financing of the Afghan operation will be increased by 10% to 1.6 million euros ($2.2 million).
The overall budget for Lithuania's participation in international peacekeeping efforts around the world is 17.4 million euro ($23.2 million), the minister said.
