GAERC: GOL TO RAISE EURO, ENLARGEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000522

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: UN KPAL PREL LH
SUBJECT: GAERC: GOL TO RAISE EURO, ENLARGEMENT

REF: A. STATE 91167 B. VILNIUS 501

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


1. (C) We delivered reftel points to Tomas Gulbinas, Head of
the MFA's Common Foreign Policy and Security Division, June

6. Gulbinas told us that the June 12 GAERC would concentrate
less on external affairs and more on "future of Europe"
questions. Lithuania plans to intervene, he said, to
encourage an "open doors" enlargement policy and to protest
the European Commission's May 16 report that likely precludes
Lithuania's entry into the eurozone in 2007. (On the former
issue, Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Simonas Satunas
told us June 6 that there is an increasing frustration within
the GOL that the EU's doors are closed to aspirant countries
in Eastern Europe like Ukraine.) Gulbinas does not expect
the Minister to intervene on any external issue.


2. (U) The following reflects Gulbinas's responses to the
reftel points on external relations.

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IRAQ
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3. (C) Gulbinas said that the GOL strongly supports increased
EU assistance to Iraq, and is planning to direct EUR 40,000
of its international assistance money to Iraq in 2006.
Gulbinas confirmed that the GOL is considering a high-level
visit, possibly the Minister of Defense, to Iraq in the fall,
confirming what other Ministry officials have told us (ref
C). Lithuania's Prime Minister's office issued a statement
of support for the new Iraqi government on May 25 (ref B).

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PALESTINIAN ASSISTANCE
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4. (C) Gulbinas told us that Lithuania supports a new
mechanism for delivering aid to the Palestinian people that
does not give fiscal or economic aid to the Hamas-led
government. In a separate meeting June 5, Jurate Ramoskiene
of the MFA's Middle East department said that European
structures were having trouble agreeing on a draft mechanism
paper. She also said that Lithuania was one of five
countries most closely supporting the U.S. position that
assistance must be directed at humanitarian needs only and
not controlled in any way by institutions of the Palestinian
Authority.

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Balkans
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5. (C) Lithuania strongly supports EU engagement with Serbia
and strongly agrees with the USG view that Serbia must see a
future as part of Euro-Atlantic institutions. Gulbinas said
that the Minister would make reference to the need for an
"open doors" policy in the Balkans during his intervention on
enlargement.

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CUBA
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6. (C) Gulbinas said that Lithuania would not intervene on
Cuba, but added that he expected the EU's Common Position on
Cuba would be renewed for another year and that the Ministers
will make a corresponding statement condemning recent human
rights abuses of Castro's regime.
MULL