AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH NEW LITHUANIAN PROSECUTOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000067

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DEPT OF JUSTICE FOR DEBORAH GAYNUS
STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/ERA (URBAN),EB/CBA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KNEI ASEC LG LH
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH NEW LITHUANIAN PROSECUTOR
GENERAL


Summary
--------------


1. Ambassador Mull and Lithuania's new Prosecutor General
Algimantas Valantinas agreed January 17 to continue close
bilateral cooperation in law enforcement and legal
assistance, particularly to surmounting problems that may
arise in extradition cases. The Ambassador thanked
Valantinas for his office's assistance in favorably
resolving the criminal case against two U.S. airmen in
December. The Ambassador identified three key areas for
special attention in bilateral cooperation - action against
1) trafficking in persons; 2) corruption; and 3) violations
of intellectual property rights. Valantinas said he would
welcome closer cooperation on those fronts, particularly in
obtaining any training that might be available and in
improving direct communication with prosecutors in the U.S.
The youthful Valantinas appears principled and energetic,
but he will likely have problems increasing the success rate
of a prosecutorial bureaucracy that has not been
particularly aggressive in pursuing corruption. End
summary.

Open Channels
--------------


2. The Ambassador called on the newly-appointed Valantinas
to brief him on extensive U.S.-Lithuanian law enforcement
cooperation and to urge continued mutual support. He noted
that the U.S. and Lithuania had signed an extradition treaty
in 2005, and had already put it to work in arranging the
extradition of a Lithuanian suspect to face trial in the
U.S. He noted we remain hopeful that the United States
would extradite suspected embezzler Gintaras Petrikas to
Lithuania from Los Angeles, where he is now incarcerated,
but noted that the court which had heard the case more than
a year ago had still not made a decision. Despite the
occasional delays in cases such as this and the differences
in our legal systems, the Ambassador and Valantinas agreed
that the United States and Lithuania now have an excellent
foundation for legal cooperation in fighting crime. Both
the Ambassador and Valantinas assured they would maintain
open channels of communication in the event of any problems
that develop in legal assistance. Valantinas said it would
be especially helpful to be able to communicate directly
with prosecutors in the United States as problems arise in
legal assistance cases, something the Ambassador said the
Embassy would be pleased to facilitate.

U.S. Airmen Case
--------------


3. The Ambassador thanked Valantinas for his office's
support in managing the criminal charges against two U.S.
airmen accused of disorderly conduct in Vilnius in December.
(Note: In January, Valantinas's office agreed to our
request to transfer jurisdiction in the case to U.S.
military authorities. End note). Valantinas expressed
regret that the process had lasted as long as it had, and
expressed confidence that it had not damaged our bilateral
relationship.

E-PINE Cooperation in Law Enforcement
--------------


4. Ambassador Mull briefed Valantinas on our eagerness to
work with Lithuania within the framework of the Enhanced
Partnership in Northern Europe (E-PINE) in confronting
regional law enforcement threats. The U.S. is particularly
interested in law enforcement cooperation in the Nordic-
Baltic region against: 1) corruption; 2) trafficking in
persons; and 3) the violation of intellectual property
rights. He noted that each of these three spheres have
important prosecutorial components, and invited Valantinas
to delegate representatives of his office to participate in
training and other programs on these topics. Valantinas
readily agreed.

Comment: A Good Start
--------------


5. The youthful Valantinas seems committed to energizing
his office, improving its performance, and taking a more
principled stand in law enforcement. But he will likely
face a difficult task -- the office of the Prosecutor
General has suffered in recent years from bureaucratic
inertia and a less-than-stellar performance in prosecuting
high-profile corruption cases.