EU COMMISIONERS ENCOURAGE LITHUANIA TO IMPOSE VISA

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000912 SIPDIS FOR EUR/NB AND CA/VO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2010 TAGS: CVIS PREL XG LH SUBJECT: EU COMMISIONERS ENCOURAGE LITHUANIA TO IMPOSE VISA REGIME ON AMCITS Classified By: CONSUL JAMES FELLOWS FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D ¶1. Consul met September 1 with MFA consular division chief Vaidotas Verba, who described a new move by the EU to impose a visa requirement on Americans. Lithuanian EU parliamentarian Justas Paleckis received a letter from EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini (NOTE: Frattini is currently in Lithuania on an official visit),which Paleckis said encouraged new EU member states to impose a temporary visa regime in the interest of reciprocity. Paleckis did not specify a timeframe for implementation or duration. Verba could not specify which other parliamentarians might have received this letter. Paleckis called Verba September 1 looking for some guidance on this issue, which he throught had been put to rest. ¶2. Verba viewed this development negatively in light of the viable Visa Waiver Roadmap Lithuania has worked out with the USG. He wondered if this might be some kind of EU posturing leading up to consular troika meetings in London this month. He expects this development to lead to some internal discussion before the MFA can react officially. MULL