VILNIUS, Sept 13 (AFP) - NATO member Denmark may extend air patrols over Baltic airspace if needed, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said, according a statement by Lithuanian officials on Monday.
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus told Rasmussen at talks in Hamburg that Lithuania was worried by the approaching handover of the patrols on October 1.
"The Lithuanian president asked whether Denmark could extend the deployment of its fighters in Lithuania in order to ensure a smooth transition to another ally," a statement from Adamkus' office said.
"Rasmussen said that there should be no obstacles in conducting air-patrol missions in the Baltic states. If needed, Denmark would extend the patrolling of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian air space by its fighters," the statement added.
Baltic air-space has been patrolled by NATO forces since March, when the three Baltic countries joined the alliance. NATO members have been taking turns to send their fighters to patrol Baltic air space from Zokniai air-base, situated in North Lithuania.
Denmark took over the mission from Belgium in July and were due to be replaced from October 1.
But General Harald Kujat, chairman of NATO's military committee said Monday it was not clear who is going to take over, but gave assurances the mission would continue.
"I am 100 percent sure that there will be no gap, we shall continue the mission," Kujat said during a NATO committee tour of the Baltics.
"We are looking for long-term solution and offered advice to political leaders on a permanent solution," he added, without elaborating.