LITHUANIA MOSTLY AGREES WITH USG POSITIONS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000884 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NB, EUR/ERA, AND EUR/UMB E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015 TAGS: KPAL PREL LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA MOSTLY AGREES WITH USG POSITIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 1-2 GYMNICH MEETING REF: A. SECSTATE 153187 ¶B. VILNIUS 857 Classified By: Economic Officer Scott Woodard for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Lithuania basically concurs with U.S. positions on key agenda items for the September 1-2 Gymnich meeting, with some reservations on Turkey. Lina Peciulyte, acting head of the MFA's EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Division, said Lithuania continues to support beginning EU accession talks with Turkey on October 3, but awaits conclusion of the EU investigation into Turkey's July 29 renewed non-recognition of Cyprus. Peciulyte said that she expects the meeting to focus on issues related to EU enlargement, noting the draft agenda did not include Iraq, Iran, China, or Venezuela. She also said that the Gymnich participants would take up the UK's proposal for an Arms Trade Treaty. ¶2. (C) We conveyed ref A points on August 25 to regarding the U.S. position on agenda items for the September 1-2 Gymnich session. The GOL is largely supportive of USG positions, and Peciulyte commented particularly on the following issues: -------------- TURKEY -------------- ¶3. (C) The GOL supports beginning EU accession talks with Turkey on October 3 (ref B). Peciulyte noted, however, that the Lithuania and other member states are waiting for conclusions of the EU Council Secretariat's Legal Office investigation into Ankara's July 29 declaration that renewed Turkey's non-recognition of Cyprus. Peciulyte left open the possibility that the Legal Office's conclusions might alter the views of several EU member states, including Lithuania, on the start date for accession talks. We stressed that Turkey has fulfilled all of the requirements to begin accession talks and that the talks should begin on October 3, regardless of the conclusion of the Legal Office. -------------- MIDDLE EAST PEACE/GAZA -------------- ¶4. (C) The GOL continues to support the peace process and to recognize that the Road Map remains the key document that establishes how the parties can reach a peace agreement. We emphasized Quartet Special Envoy Wolfensohn's request for EU technical assistance and Peciulyte said that she would pass this request up her chain-of-command. -------------- WESTERN BALKANS -------------- KOSOVO/BOSNIA ¶5. (C) The GOL concurs with our positions on Bosnia and Kosovo, adding that the EU may take a more active role in promoting economic reform in Kosovo. We encouraged the GOL to work with other EU member states in thinking creatively about how to keep alive the prospects of European integration for Kosovo and Serbia. CROATIA ¶6. (C) Peciulyte noted the GOL's support for the ICTY, but said that the European Council concluded in July that Croatia has made progress with the tribunal. She said that with this conclusion, the GOL sees no obstacles to Croatia starting accession negotiations in the future, provided that Croatia's cooperation with the ICTY remains positive. We stressed that Gotovina's arrest and transfer to the Hague was an absolutely necessary, but not sufficient, condition for Croatia's full integration in the Euro-Atlantic community. -------------- IRAQ, IRAN, CHINA, VENZUELA -------------- ¶7. (C) Peciulyte said that her office had seen only a brief draft agenda, which did not include Iraq, Iran, China, or Venezuela, and she was not prepared to offer any substantive comments in response to our points. She said that she expected to receive the formal agenda within a day or two. -------------- ARMS TRADE TREATY -------------- ¶8. (C) Peciulyte said that the Gymnich participants will discuss a treaty on the arms trade mooted by the UK at the May 19-20 Wassenaar Agreement conference. She said that the GOL would like to hear more details about the plan, but thought that the idea was a good one and that it should be legally binding. Mull