LITHUANIA SAYS YES TO PRT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000059

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2014
TAGS: MOPS MARR MCAP PREL MARR MCAP PGOV PREL LH
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA SAYS YES TO PRT

REF: A. VILNIUS 13

B. 2004 VILNIUS 1196

Classified By: Classified by Pol/Econ Officer Nancy Cohen
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

CONFIDENTIAL

SIPDIS
PROG 01/18/2005
AMB: SDMULL
POL/ECON:NACOHEN
DCM:TPKELLY; DAO:LBEISEL; POL/ECON:TRBOYD
POL/ECON

AMEMBASSY VILNIUS
SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0011
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
HQ EUCOM LO WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

STATE FOR EUR/NB AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2014
TAGS: MOPS MARR MCAP PREL MARR MCAP PGOV PREL LH
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA: CONDITIONAL YES ON PRT

REF: A. VILNIUS 13

B. 2004 VILNIUS 1196

C. STATE 2743

D. ANDERSON-KELLY EMAIL, 1/4/05

Classified By: POL/ECON OFFICER NANCY COHEN FOR REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).

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Summary
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1. (C) The GOL informed the Ambassador on the evening of
January 18 that it will accept NATO's request for it to head
a provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in western
Afghanistan. The decision followed weeks of intensive
Mission and USG efforts to get Lithuania on board,
culminating in two separate meetings January 18 between the
Ambassador and Parliament Speaker Arturas Paulauskas and
Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas. Reflecting GOL concern
about the cost and technical requirements involved, we expect
that the GOL assent will come with some questions and with
requests for follow-up on technical, logistical, diplomatic,
and personnel assistance that the U.S. has said it would be
willing to offer to a Lithuanian-led PRT (refs c and d). End
Summary.

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Political Will Strong, Budget Less So
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2. (C) The Ambassador followed up on earlier meetings and the
visit of SACEUR General James L. Jones (septel) to address
Lithuania's concerns about leading a provincial
reconstruction team (PRT) in western Afghanistan. In a
series of meetings with Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas,
Parliament Speaker Arturas Paulauskas, and Under Secretaries
of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the
Ambassador underscored that importance and value to NATO of a
Lithuanian contribution, drawing on Jones's remarks to
President Valdas Adamkus during the SACEUR's recent visit to
Lithuania. The Ambassador highlighted the political and
military benefits to accrue from preparing for and leading a
PRT, including advancing Lithuania's military transformation
goals and enhancing the country's stature and military
leadership within NATO and the European Union.


3. (C) Responding to the GOL's concerns about its ability to
realize PRT objectives on its own, the Ambassador reiterated
Jones's assurances of EUCOM and NATO support and the USG
commitments (refs c and d) to help Lithuania seek additional
international contributions. He encouraged the GOL to inform
NATO of Lithuania's intent (albeit provisional) to lead a
PRT. On the evening of January 18, a senior MOD official
informed the Ambassador on behalf of Defense Minister
Kirkilas of the GOL's decision to move forward with the PRT.

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Basic Design/Basic Needs
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4. (C) Topping GOL concerns are Lithuania's lack of resources
and lack of experience. The Prime Minister emphasized that
the GOL could only approve a PRT plan that requires no
additional budget appropriations. (Note: Lithuania is at
the beginning of a two-year period of fiscal discipline as it
prepares for acceptance in the Eurozone in 2007. End note).
With authorization and appropriations in hand to support only
up to 70 personnel resources in Afghanistan, the GOL needed
assurances that it could successfully meet PRT objectives --
in effect, on a shoestring.


5. (C) Speaker of Parliament Arturas Paulauskas told the
Ambassador that the National Security Council had initially
harbored reservations about the idea of Lithuania
contributing to the PRT. Council members' reservations, he
explained, had reflected both misconceptions about the nature
of the "reconstruction" objectives and concerns about the
availability of resources. The current understanding -- that
the PRT would take on responsibility for security and play a
role in political coordination, rather than building the
region's decimated economy from scratch -- has resolved
members' concerns.

6. (C) Kestutis Jankauskas, recently returned from a
UK-sponsored trip to existing PRTs in Afghanistan, described
a basic plan that would not stretch the budget. The GOL
would pattern its approach to the PRT along the lines of the
British model. The security sector would be the main PRT
priority, Jankauskas said, and current thinking is that the
team could manage with a total complement of between 83-90,
including the Lithuanian complement of as many as 70 in the
mix. Norkus, elaborating on military concerns, said that
Lithuania would need a partner to provide strategic lift.
The MOD would need assurances of the availability of language
resources on the ground and would require training assistance
to enhance intelligence capabilities. They would also look
for USG approval of Lithuania's outstanding request to
purchase special equipment, including encrypted radios and
night-vision goggles. Jankauskas added to the list costs of
delivery of food and water and provision of medical care and
transport.


7. (C) Prime Minister Brazauskas focused on another issue --
the question of the term of this commitment. He told the
Ambassador that Lithuania will need more clarity on how long
the PRT mission is likely to last. He also emphasized the
need for a clear understanding about the provision and
financing of health and medical care, training, transport,
and necessary infrastructure development -- responsibilities
that Lithuania would not be able to assume. Cekuolis
mentioned the need for a significant public diplomacy effort
to overcome the lingering unpleasant memory among the
Lithuanian public of the forced service of Lithuanian troops
in Afghanistan during the Soviet era.

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Comment
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8. (C) The political will is strong to carry out this
mission, but this small ally will need our help. Lithuania
will look to the USG to follow through on our promises for
support (refs c and d). We expect the Lithuanian government
will reply to NATO this week with its provisional assent,
giving us the opportunity to begin a discussion on whether we
can translate Lithuania's strong political will to assume
this task into reality on the ground.
MULL