CSBM BILATERALS GIVE LITHUANIA ADDITIONAL TOOL TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 001499 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/RPM AND INR/B E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014 TAGS: PARM MOPS LH SUBJECT: CSBM BILATERALS GIVE LITHUANIA ADDITIONAL TOOL TO ASSUAGE RUSSIAN VDOC CONCERNS IN BALTICS REF: A. VILNIUS 1350 ¶B. USNATO 1040 Classified By: POL/ECON OFFICER TREVOR BOYD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Lithuania has developed bilateral Confidence and Security Building Measure (CSBM) agreements in accordance with the 1999 Vienna Document of OSCE and CFE requirements with Russia, Belarus and its Nordic neighbors. For Lithuania, the bilateral agreements enhance military transparency and predictability and serve as additional mechanisms for building concrete cooperation between Russia and NATO. Lithuania signed a pair of bilateral CSBM agreements with Russia in 2001 that call for additional evaluation visits and exchanges of information between Lithuania's armed forces and Russian forces in the Kaliningrad Oblast. Though its Vienna Document partners have rarely conducted visits under the auspices of the bilateral agreements, the GOL has utilized its bilateral agreement with Russia each year since 2002 to inspect units in Kaliningrad. Lithuania proposed additional CSBM bilateral agreements with Russia in 2003 pertaining to the exchange of information and pre-notification of major military exercises in each country. These proposals, to date, have received no response from the GOR. Lithuania also signed bilateral CSBM agreements with Finland and Sweden in 1998, and with Belarus in 2001. The CSBMs established in the Vienna Document and the GOL's bilateral agreements provide sufficient opportunities for Russia to assuage any concerns it may have regarding national or NATO assets based on Lithuanian territory. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Lithuania and Russia signed two CSBM bilateral agreements in 2001 that go beyond the provisions of Chapter IX on Compliance and Verification of the 1999 Vienna Document (VDOC). One agreement affords an additional evaluation visit to units in Lithuania and in the Kaliningrad Oblast above the quota of three inspections established in the VDOC. The second agreement establishes an annual exchange of information about military forces in Lithuania and the Kaliningrad Oblast. -------------- -------------- Summary of Lithuania's Inspections of Kaliningrad -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Lithuania has utilized its bilateral CSBM agreement with the GOR to inspect Russian military assets in the Kaliningrad Oblast since 2002. Lithuania conducted the following inspections of the Kaliningrad region: -- A Lithuanian inspection team conducted an evaluation visit of the Seventh Motor Rifle Brigade on July 17-18, 2002. Following briefings by the brigade commander, the team visited the brigade museum, motor pool, firing range, and spoke with brigade personnel. The team had the opportunity to count and photograph major weapons and equipment systems during the tour. -- A GOL team visited the 609th Motorized Training Regiment on December 8-9, 2003. Following a briefing by the unit commander, the team visited the barracks, service facilities, main training areas, and motor pool. The team had the opportunity to count and photograph major weapons and equipment systems during the tour. -- A Lithuanian inspection team conducted an evaluation of the 336th Naval Infantry Brigade on August 24-26, 2004. Following briefings by the brigade commander, the team visited the barracks, brigade museum, canteen and medical facilities. The team had the opportunity to count major weapons and equipment systems during the tour. -------------- Russian Inspections of Lithuania -------------- ¶4. (C) Russia began inspecting military assets stationed on Lithuanian territory pursuant to Vienna Document guidelines in 2004. The first VDOC inspection by a Russian Federation team occurred on August 13, under the auspices of the GOL-GOR CSBM bilateral agreement. (NOTE: A country may utilize either a bilateral agreement or provisions detailed in the Vienna Document itself to substantiate an inspection). The inspection of elements of the Iron Wolf Motorized Infantry Brigade included a briefing by the unit's commander and a visit to brigade's barracks. The team had the opportunity to count and photograph major weapons and equipment systems during the tour. A Vienna Document inspection on October 27-28, (reftel A) included Lithuanian army and air force facilities in Kaunas, Panevyzys, and Siauliai, including NATO's air policing assets at the Zokniai airfield. -------------- -------------- GOL Seeks Additional CSBM Bilateral Agreements with Russia -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Lithuania proposed two additional CSBM bilateral agreements to Russia in May 2003. The agreements call for an additional VDOC inspection per year, and the pre-notification of each country's largest annual military exercises. Russia has not responded to the initiative. -------------- -------------- Lithuania's CSBM Bilateral Agreements with Belarus -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Lithuania signed four bilateral CSBM agreements with Belarus in 2001. The agreements afford an annual exchange of information, an additional evaluation visit and inspection per year above VDOC quotas, and pre-notification of the year's largest military exercise within each country. Lithuania conducted evaluation visits in July, 2002 of the 120th Motor Rifle Brigade stationed in Minsk, and of the 38th Mobile Brigade in Brest in July, 2004. Belarus conducted an inspection visit of the Iron Wolf Motorized Infantry Brigade in Rukla, Lithuania on October 5-7, 2004. -------------- Lithuania's Other CSBM Bilateral Agreements -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Lithuania signed a pair of CSBM bilateral agreements with both Finland and Sweden in 1998. The agreements afford an additional evaluation visit and inspection above the VDOC quota per annum. Both Finland and Sweden utilized their bilateral agreement to conduct an inspection in Lithuania in ¶2002. Finland sent an evaluation team to the Jonuso Radvilos infantry training regiment in Rukla, Lithuania. Sweden conducted an evaluation of the Iron Wolf Motorized Infantry Brigade. Lithuania is tentatively planning an inspection visit to either Finland or Sweden in 2005. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Lithuania has developed a robust bilateral CSBM network that lends credence to its (and NATO's) argument that Russia, in particular, should utilize existing CSBM inspection mechanisms to assuage its concerns about military activities here. The GOL seized the opportunity afforded it by Russia's 2004 inspections to illustrate to both its NATO allies and the GOR that Lithuania is willing to exceed the letter of the Vienna Document in its openness, flexibility, and transparency during CSBM inspections. Lithuania will continue to push back against Russian pressure to establish special CSBM monitoring mechanisms. Kelly