LITHUANIA: NO ISAF CAVEATS, BUT WOULD CONSIDER ONE

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000350 SIPDIS STATE PASS TO EUR/NB E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2015 TAGS: PREL MARR LH AF DA SUBJECT: LITHUANIA: NO ISAF CAVEATS, BUT WOULD CONSIDER ONE FOR COUNTERNARCOTICS REF: SECSTATE 60862 Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This cable contains a request for information. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (C) We delivered reftel points April 4 on ISAF caveats to Bartas Trakymas, Acting Head of the MOD's International Organizations Division, and to Gediminas Varvuolis, Head of the MFA NATO Division. Trakymas concurred that national caveats are problematic and hinder operational effectiveness. Varvuolis agreed, and vowed to raise the topic with ISAF partners. He stated that the only situation in which he could envision the GOL imposing caveats on its troops in Afghanistan would be if counter-narcotics were added to the ISAF mission. ¶3. (C) Noting that Denmark is considering participating in a proposed Lithuanian-led provincial reconstruction team in Chaghcharan, Afghanistan, Trakymas inquired as to what caveats Denmark has in place for its ISAF deployment. While we suggested that Trakymas might seek this information from Lithuania's Danish partners directly, we would welcome any information that the Department or our Mission in Copenhagen could provide that we might share with Lithuania's MOD. Mull