LITHUANIA UNFAZED BY U.S. DRAWDOWN; PLANS TO SEND

UNCLAS VILNIUS 001323 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EUR/NB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV EAID AF LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA UNFAZED BY U.S. DRAWDOWN; PLANS TO SEND DELEGATION TO AFGHANISTAN COMPACT REF: A. SECSTATE 226670 ¶B. SECSTATE 227560 ¶1. (SBU) We delivered ref A and B points regarding the upcoming January Afghanistan Compact in London and the proposed troop drawdown in Afghanistan to Vytautas Leskevicius, head of the MFA's NATO division, on December 21. We also delivered ref B points December 20 to Alvydas Kunigelis, Acting Director of the MOD's International Relations department. Afghanistan Compact -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Leskevicius said that the GOL had not yet received a formal invitation to the Compact but expects to participate with MFA Undersecretary Dalius Cekuolis likely heading the Lithuanian delegation. Leskevicius said that he could not comment on any new financial pledges from Lithuania, since internal discussions are ongoing and will continue until mid-January. Leskevicius mentioned that FM Antanas Valionis hopes to push the European Commission and the EU to pledge substantially towards reconstruction, possibly including funds for provincial reconstruction teams. No Worries about Troop Reductions -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Leskevicius did not have any immediate comment on the drawdown, but asked about USG plans for troop levels in Iraq. Drawing on recent guidance, we explained our benchmarks, and how the USG will reevaluate deployment levels as democracy, security and reconstruction improve and as NATO assumed a larger role. Kunigelis, who had previously received the same guidance, said that the news of the drawdown neither concerned nor surprised the GOL. He said that he had seen a short media report on the drawdown and welcomed the additional details we provided. MULL