(C) LITHUANIA'S ISAF PRT (C-RE6-00473)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000487

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: AF PINR MASS MOPS PTER LH
SUBJECT: (C) LITHUANIA'S ISAF PRT (C-RE6-00473)

REF: SECSTATE 77257

Classified By: Pol/econ officer Traver Gudie for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) This cable responds to reftel's questions about host
country's Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in
Afghanistan.

--------------
GOL COMMITTED TO AFGHANISTAN PRT
--------------


2. (C) The GOL remains committed to leading the PRT in Ghor
Province. Since standing up the PRT in August 2005,
Lithuania's 124 personnel in Chaghcharan have had a
significant impact on the stability and quality of life of
local residents. The Lithuanian MFA told us that they plan
to increase reconstruction projects and civilian
contributions in the near future. Given the challenges of
operating and sustaining the PRT, however, it is very
unlikely that Lithuania will volunteer or be susceptible to
persuasion to contribute to another PRT elsewhere in
Afghanistan. Lithuania has no intention to send maneuver
battalions to Southern Afghanistan.


3. (C) The GOL has invited Ukrainian participation in the
PRT, and MFA officials were in Kiev May 24 to negotiate both
military and civilian elements of potential Ukrainian
participation.

-------------- -
BROAD PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN MISSION
-------------- -


4. (SBU) All but one political party, the Liberal Democrats,
supports Lithuanian participation in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Liberal Democrats, an opposition group with ten members
in the Parliament, have repeatedly called (so far,
unsuccessfully) for the withdrawal of Lithuanian troops from
Iraq, but they have never called for Lithuania's withdrawal
from the ISAF mission. Parliament overwhelmingly voted to
facilitate Lithuania's support for international operations
in June 2005 by increasing the ceiling of deployable
personnel to 420 and by empowering the military to deploy or
redeploy troops within theater without seeking parliamentary
authorization.

-------------- --------------
MAIN GOALS: STRENGTHEN GOVERNMENT, INCREASE SECURITY
-------------- --------------


5. (C) According to MOD officials, Lithuania sees two main
tasks for its PRT in Ghor Province: to strengthen the
influence of the central government and to assist in
establishing security and stability. As a result, Lithuanian
troops focus on conducting presence patrols, enabling
reconstruction projects, and cultivating and advising
provincial and local leaders. They do not focus on offensive
operations, nor has there been significant intelligence
regarding Taliban or Al Qaeda activity in Lithuania's sector
to support mounting offensive operations. The PRT is
primarily organized and equipped to conduct patrols and to
provide for defensive force protection.

--------------
OPERATIONS AGAINST TALIBAN
--------------


6. (C) The Lithuanians interpret the rules of engagement as
giving them latitude to conduct offensive operations if
necessary. Lt. Col. Mockunas of the Defense Staff's Director
of Operations told us that Lithuania would mount offensive
operations against Taliban or other insurgents within its
capabilities if intelligence indicated the need. The PRT
commander would request external military support through the
ISAF chain of command should the operation exceed PRT
capabilities. Since the rocket attack on the PRT Chaghcharan
base camp on 19 May, the PRT has sent out nightly ambush
patrols along likely attack routes and likely rocket and
mortar launch sites in the vicinity of the camp.

--------------
SHOWING THE FLAG
--------------


VILNIUS 00000487 002 OF 002



7. (C) The Lithuanian-led PRT in Chaghcharan conducts
presence patrols in all seven districts of Ghor Province.
The PRT comprises five Mobile Liaison and Observation Teams
(MLOT) of six to seven soldiers each. The province covers
over 36,000 square kilometers; therefore, MLOT patrols in the
districts closest to the PRT base camp in Chaghcharan
typically last one day. MLOT patrols to the districts in the
southwestern portion of the province can last two to three
days. The purpose of these patrols is to demonstrate ISAF's
commitment to the security and stability of the countryside,
to meet with local leaders, to gather information on the
security and development situation in the districts, and to
escort and monitor personnel providing reconstruction
assistance.

--------------
WORKING WITH LOCALS
--------------


8. (C) GOL officials tell us that the PRT has established
strong, positive relations with local and tribal leaders
throughout the province in a relatively benign security
environment. MOD officials said that the PRT enjoys a close
and cooperative relationship with the Afghan National Police
and the Afghan National Army. The PRT includes a 50-person
Afghan National Army element which augments base camp
security and works for the Lithuanian Force Protection
Company Commander in Chaghcharan. The PRT reconstruction
initiatives planned or currently underway in Ghor province
include:

-- Law enforcement training and provision of basic equipment
to Afghan National Police and other institutions supporting
the rule of law;

-- Development of a police tactical radio network;

-- Renovation of the Ghor Province Police Headquarters
building;

-- Promotion of good governance, financial management, and
administrative reform; and

-- Renovation of the Ghor Prosecutor's office building.


9. (C) The PRT coordinates funding and administration of all
of these projects with other partner nations and governmental
and civic organizations. The PRT coordinated, supervised,
and completed projects to build a wall around a local girls'
school and to renovate the clinic in Chaghcharan. The PRT is
currently seeking funding sponsorship to improve the main
road from Chaghcharan to Herat. MOD officials tell us that
the PRT Commander lacks money for quick impact reconstruction
assistance projects. Lithuanian military regulations and
accounting procedures are the primary obstacle to the
establishment of a commander's discretionary fund, they say.

--------------
PLANS TO INCREASE THE CIVILIAN COMPLEMENT
--------------


10. (C) Eight civilians (three Lithuanians, four Amcits, one
Icelander) report directly to the PRT commander. These
civilians often accompany the five military MLOT on patrol
throughout the province. Additionally, military force
protection elements often provide security at
civilian-coordinated project sites. The Lithuanian civilians
comprise one legal advisor, one police advisor, and one
civilian representative of the MOD. In a recent meeting, MFA
representatives told us that they intend to increase the
civilian element, expanding the civilian law enforcement and
security training role and bringing in agricultural and
engineering specialists.
MULL