CODEL KOLBE DISCUSSES GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VILNIUS 001103

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NB, DRL, EUR/UMB, EUR/CACEN AND H

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG LH
SUBJECT: CODEL KOLBE DISCUSSES GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR AND
DEMOCRATIZATION WITH PRESIDENT ADAMKUS AND GOL

REF: A. A. VILNIUS 977

B. B. VILNIUS 993

C. C. VILNIUS 1012

D. D. VILNIUS 1017

E. E. VILNIUS 1070

F. F. VILNIUS 1093

Classified By: VICE CONSUL TREVOR BOYD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (SBU) Summary. Representative Jim Kolbe led a six-Member
congressional delegation to Vilnius October 10-12. The
delegation discussed democracy-building initiatives in the
region, reviewed U.S. bilateral and multilateral foreign
assistance programs, and Lithuania's relationship with Russia
with President Valdas Adamkus, Speaker Arturas Paulauskas,
Minister of Defense Gediminas Kirkilas, Special Investigative
Service Director Povilas Malakauskas and Belarusian
opposition figures. The delegation thanked interlocutors for
Lithuania's strong contributions to the Global War on Terror,
including its leadership in establishing a Provincial
Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Representative Jim Kolbe (R-AZ),Chairman of the
Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, led a
six-Member delegation to Lithuania on October 10-12. The
delegation, which also included Representatives Martin Sabo
(D-MN),John Carter (R-TX),James Moran (D-VA),Dennis
Rehberg (R-MN),and John Shimkus (R-IL),affirmed to GOL
interlocutors a consistent message of gratitude for
Lithuania's contributions to U.S.- and NATO-led operations in
Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans. The delegation also
sought ideas on how the USG and Lithuania might best work
together to build democracy in the region, particularly in
Belarus, and how U.S. foreign assistance programs could
facilitate these initiatives.

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Supporting Democracy in Lithuania's Neighborhood
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3. (C) President Valdas Adamkus told the delegation of
Lithuania's plans to organize a "Conference of New
Democracies" in May 2006. Adamkus anticipates that the
conference will include representatives from Georgia,
Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova and hopes that high-level
representatives from the USG and other Western democracies
will participate. Adamkus also emphasized Lithuania's
support for democratic reforms in Belarus and noted that
George Soros promised sizable funding for the European
Humanities University, a Belarusian institute operating in
exile in Lithuania.


4. (C) Parliamentary Speaker Arturas Paulauskas thanked the
delegation for USG support of Lithuania's foreign policy
aspirations, including promoting democracy in Belarus.
Concurring with Rep. Kolbe's assertion that Lithuania has
already undertaken "very substantial" initiatives related
both to the global war on terror and democratization,
Paulauskas stated that Lithuania has a "very large" role to
play in promoting democracy in the region. Emmanuelis
Zingeris, Chairman of parliament's American Caucus, called
upon the United States to make more than a "mere symbolic"
gesture of funding for pro-democratic forces in Belarus and
to better synchronize and fund initiatives with "Friends of
Belarus" forces within the EU. The issue of Belarus,
Zingeris said, should be elevated into the top tier of the
issues for the region.


5. (C) A similar message was proffered by members of Belarus'
opposition during a meeting arranged with the assistance of
local representatives of the National Democratic Institute
and the International Republican Institute (reftel F). The
Belarusian delegation, which comprised leaders of the 10
democratic coalition, independent media, and human rights
NGOs, strongly encouraged increased U.S. financial assistance
to Belarusian democratic forces, particularly in the area of
print media. CODEL Kolbe expressed continued U.S. support
for the Belarusian opposition movement and discussed
prospects for democratic reform in the country. The
Belarusian opposition leaders were cautiously optimistic
about the prospects for democratic change in the near future,
with the 2006 presidential elections serving as the
catalyzing event.


6. (SBU) Special Investigation Services (STT) Director
Povilas Malakauskas told the delegation that USG assistance
to his organization to combat corruption and organized crime
in Lithuania had also influenced the region for the better.
Lithuania, he said, is passing the expertise gained from the
USG through technical assistance and educational exchanges to
Ukraine, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Malakauskas
highlighted the need for additional training and assistance,
and called for a longer term exchange of experts between DHS
and the STT.

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Relations with Russia
--------------


7. (C) The President told the CODEL that Lithuania's support
for democracy irritates Russia, and noted that President
Putin snubbed him blatantly while they were in New York.
Adamkus also made known that he harbors doubts that the
incursion and crash of the Russian fighter plane on September
15 (septel) were entirely accidental, but that he is
satisfied with how Lithuania resolved the situation (reftels
A-E).


8. (SBU) Minister of Defense Gediminas Kirkilas told the
delegation that the SU-27 incident appeared to be an accident
without malicious intent, and noted that he hoped the
incident would focus more attention on the status of the
Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and on NATO's need to upgrade
the capabilities of the Baltic Air Policing mission.
Kirkilas called for the demilitarization of the Kaliningrad
region and noted that Lithuania would look to NATO for
support on this issue.

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Lithuania Wants to Remain an Active NATO Ally
--------------


9. (SBU) Defense Minister Kirkilas thanked CODEL Kolbe for
the USG's vital and sustained support to Lithuania's
military. Kirkilas asked for continued U.S. cooperation,
declaring, "We want to continue to stand shoulder to shoulder
with you." Kirkilas highlighted U.S. assistance to the
Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in
Afghanistan as particularly helpful and described Afghanistan
as a "long-term commitment" for the GOL. The Minister also
noted that a recently adopted parliamentary resolution will
provide the MOD with much greater flexibility to deploy
Lithuanian troops on international operations.


10. (SBU) Kirkilas outlined three primary goals for
Lithuania's defense policy. The first is to remain an active
NATO member through a modernization of its armed forces that
will allow for sizeable participation in international
operations. The second is to promote regional stability by
deepening a strategic partnership with Poland and the other
Baltic countries while maintaining good relations with
neighbors Russia and Belarus. The final goal is to increase
cooperation and promote reform in countries of the former
Soviet Union, notably Ukraine, Moldova, and the South
Caucasus.

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Energy Dependence
--------------


11. (C) President Adamkus said that he expected Lukoil to win
the bid for Yukos-held shares of the Mazeikiu Nafta oil
refinery (MN),but expressed concern for Lithuania's energy
security. He added that he was keeping a low public profile
on this transaction because of his active support of the 1998
privatization of MN to the U.S. company Williams
International -- a sale that, in the end, had been a bad deal
for Lithuania, in his view.


12. (C) Adamkus noted his support for nuclear energy and said
he hopes to win EU approval for a new nuclear power plant
(NPP) to replace the Ignalina NPP, which Lithuania committed
during EU accession negotiations to decommission by the end
of 2009. The Ambassador reminded Adamkus that Westinghouse
remains keenly interested in building a new nuclear-powered
electricity-generating plant in Lithuania.


13. (C) Speaker Paulauskas highlighted the relationship
between energy and Lithuania's independence. Noting that
Lithuania was heavily dependent upon Russian oil and natural
gas to fuel its economy, and that the role of the U.S. is
"always important," Paulauskas called upon the U.S. to assist
Lithuania seek energy independence from Russia.

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Comment
--------------


14. (SBU) Lithuania's political leadership opened every door
for CODEL Kolbe, beginning with the welcome lunch hosted by
President Adamkus. The level of the CODEL's meetings and the
caliber of their conversations with top GOL policy-makers
reflect Lithuania,s continued confidence in the United
States as a critical ally with shared values and
complimentary foreign policy goals.


15. (U) CODEL Kolbe did not have the opportunity to clear
this cable.
KELLY