GOL: ISAF MANDATE ADEQUATE, AS IS; CONCERNS ABOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000837 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NB E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2015 TAGS: MARR PREL AF LH SUBJECT: GOL: ISAF MANDATE ADEQUATE, AS IS; CONCERNS ABOUT COUNTER NARCOTICS MISSION REF: A. SECSTATE 146276 ¶B. VILNIUS 350 Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) We delivered Ref A points on ISAF's mandate to Vytautas Leskevicius, Head of the MFA's NATO Division, on August 10. Leskevicius said that the GOL agrees with the USG position that the current UN mandate is sufficiently broad to allow ISAF to support Afghan security forces in responding to key threats. Leskevicius said the GOL sees no obstacles to the planned integration of NATO and Coalition forces under the mandate as currently written. ¶2. (C) Leskevicius took the opportunity to reiterate the GOL's concern that its Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Ghowr Province not become involved in counter narcotics operations (Ref B). Leskevicius told us that the GOL is worried that involvement in counter narcotics activities could heighten the threat to Lithuanian personnel. He said that Lithuania "will seek to have this national caveat included" in NATO's revised operations plan for ISAF which will be under discussion this fall. Mull