Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VILNIUS884
2005-08-26 08:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vilnius
Cable title:  

LITHUANIA MOSTLY AGREES WITH USG POSITIONS FOR

Tags:  KPAL PREL LH 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
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)

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