LITHUANIA: DEFMIN NOMINEE PLEDGES TO STAY COURSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 001492

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NB AND INR-B

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2014
TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL MARR MCAP MOPS LH
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA: DEFMIN NOMINEE PLEDGES TO STAY COURSE

REF: VILNIUS 1380

Classified By: POL/ECON OFFICER TREVOR BOYD
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary. President Valdas Adamkus on December 7
nominated Gediminas Kirkilas, a leader of the Social Democrat
Party and former Chairman of parliament's Foreign Affairs
Committee, to become Minster of Defense in Lithuania's new
government. Kirkilas, who will replace fellow Social
Democrat Linas Linkevicius, will likely be confirmed by
parliament next week. Kirkilas publicly pledged on December
6 to continue to reform and improve the professionalism of
Lithuania's armed forces, to work to extend the parliamentary
party agreement allocating two percent of GDP for defense
purposes until 2012, and to increase the amount of defense
spending directly allocated to the Ministry of Defense. We
expect Kirkilas, who has often proven himself sympathetic
toward USG views, to continue to promote Lithuania's activist
foreign policy in the Global War on Terror and our strong,
cooperative MOD-USG relationship. End Summary.

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New Defense Minister to Stay the Course
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2. (U) Gediminas Kirkilas, nominated to replace fellow Social
Democrat Linas Linkevicius as Minister of Defense in
Lithuania's new Cabinet, pledged on December 6 to continue to
reform and improve the professionalism of Lithuania's armed
forces. Kirkilas also promised to work with Lithuania's
political parties to extend their pledge to allocate at least
two percent of GDP for defense purposes until 2012. (NOTE:
In March, Lithuania's political parties agreed to extend this
two percent allocation until 2008). Noting that the two
percent allocation must be "real" for the Ministry of
Defense, Kirkilas pledged to work to reduce the amount of
defense spending allocated to secondary defense
organizations, such as to border guard and Ministry of
Interior troops (reftel A).

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Kirkilas: An Experienced National Security Hand
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3. (SBU) Kirkilas brings a wealth of national security and
foreign affairs experience to his new position. Kirkilas has
served in parliament since 1992, is a member of parliament's
National Security Committee, and has served as Deputy
Chairman of the European Affairs Committee (since July 2001)
and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee (since July
2001). Kirkilas has served as Chairman of Lithuania's
parliamentary delegation to NATO's parliamentary assembly
since October 2001. Fluent in English and Russian, Kirkilas
is a long-serving member of the parliamentary groups for
relations with the United States and Russia. In the summer
of 2002, President Adamkus named Kirkilas special envoy on
Kaliningrad transit issues. For his efforts in helping
secure the EU-Russia agreement on transit issues in November
2002, and for advancing the border and readmission agreement
with Russia, Adamkus granted Kirkilas the rank of Ambassador.


4. (SBU) Kirkilas has pledged to remain a Member of
Parliament, and an active player in the co-ruling Social
Democratic Party. President Adamkus is expected to present
his Cabinet to parliament for confirmation on December 9
(septel). A final vote may come as early as December 14.
There has been no official word on what the future holds for
outgoing Minster Linkevicius, though there are rumors that he
may be offered an Ambassadorial position, possibly at the UN.

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Comment
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5. (C) Kirkilas is a respected figure in Lithuanian national
security circles. We have worked well with Kirkilas in the
past, and have developed strong relations with him over a
broad range of issues. His principal challenge will be to
secure a greater portion of the two percent defense
allocation for "real" defense purposes. Very influential
within the ruling coalition and Parliament, and fully versed
in negotiating the budgetary process, Kirkilas is positioned
to succeed in areas where Linkavicius did not, especially in
securing additional funding for the MOD. Given his
longstanding pro-American stance, we also expect Kirkilas to
help maintain Lithuania's activist foreign policy in support
of multinational operations around the world.
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Biographical Notes
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6. (SBU) Gediminas Kirkilas was born on August 30, 1951 in
Vilnius. He is the eldest of seven children born to a
teacher and engineer. Kirkilas served as a conscript in the
Soviet Northern Fleet in Severomorsk between 1969-1972. He
studied literature at the Vilnius Pedagogical Institute
between 1972 and 1976. In 1982, he received a degree from
the Communist Party Institute (Political School) in Vilnius.
He received an MA in International Trade from Vilnius
University's Business School in 2004.


7. (SBU) Between 1972-1982, Kirkilas worked as an
architectural restorer, and helped restore the interiors of
several churches in Vilnius and Kaunas. Kirkilas began a
career in the Communist Party apparatus in 1982. In 1986,
Kirkilas became the First Assistant to the Secretary of the
Party Central Committee's Culture Department. He served as
Assistant Spokesman of the Party's First Secretary and later
for Lithuanian President Algirdas Brazauskas. When the
Lithuanian Communist Party split from the Communist Party of
the Soviet Union and renamed itself the Labor Party in 1990,
Kirkilas became a member of its Central Committee and its
Deputy Chairman. In 2001, he was elected the Deputy Chairman
of the newly merged Social Democratic Party. For several
years following the merger, Kirkilas served as party whip,
directing the party's information strategy and its election
campaigns. Kirkilas, running as the party's number two
candidate for the European parliament, failed to win office
in June. He was re-elected to parliament from the Social
Democrat's Party list in October.


8. (SBU) Kirkilas is married to Liudmila Kirkiliene, who
works for Lithuanian Railways. They have a daughter and two
sons (one adopted). Kirkilas is a pipe smoker, and his
hobbies include fishing and tennis. He is a prolific author,
and has published some 900 articles and a book on politics.
Kirkilas has received two Lithuanian state decorations, the
Vytautas Order Officer Cross, and the Vytis Cross, and was
awarded Poland's Commander Order.
Kelly