GOL TO FOCUS ON BELARUS DURING MARCH 20 FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000284

SIPDIS

DEPT TO EUR/NB, EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2016
TAGS: PREL ECON ETRD LH BL
SUBJECT: GOL TO FOCUS ON BELARUS DURING MARCH 20 FOREIGN
MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC)

REF: A. STATE 39905 B. VILNIUS 278

Classified By: Pol/Econ Traver Gudie for reasons 1.4(b/d)


1. (C) We delivered points in reftel A to Tomas Gulbinas,
head of the MFA's Common Foreign and Security Policy
Division, March 16. Gulbinas, who is traveling with the
Foreign Minister to the meeting, said that he would consider
our points before the Minister's pre-brief March 17, but that
he did not expect Lithuania to intervene on any issue besides
Belarus. He added that, although Belarus is not formally on
the agenda, the Austrian presidency has agreed to discuss it
the morning of March 20, with an eye towards a common EU
statement during the European Council meeting March 23 (ref
B).

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Iran
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2. (C) Although Lithuania does not intend to intervene on
Iran, Gulbinas said that the GOL is waiting to see what
action the UNSC will take, and agreed that the EU must
discuss how to best use its leverage with over Iran.

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Balkans
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3. (C) Gulbinas commented that he did not expect the
ministers to discuss the Balkans at all, as they recently
covered Balkan issues during the informal ministerial in
Salzburg March 11.

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Sudan
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4. (C) Gulbinas said that he had information that Sudan would
be dropped from the formal agenda.
MULL