SEPTEMBER GAERC AND LITHUANIAN VIEWS ON GYMNICH

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000852

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2016
TAGS: PREL LH EUN RS UP
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER GAERC AND LITHUANIAN VIEWS ON GYMNICH

REF: A. STATE 150777 B. STATE 151189

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Rebecca Dunham for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)


1. (C) We delivered reftel points September 13 to Tomas
Gulbinas, head of MFA's Common Foreign Policy and Security
Division who is responsible for briefing the FM for the
GAERC. Gulbinas said that the Lithuanian FM does not plan
any interventions in the September 15 GAERC, which focuses on
issues where Lithuania lacks expertise and generally follows
consensus. Gulbinas was present for the September 1-2
Gymnich, and gave us a brief readout of Lithuania's views of
the EU-Russia discussion there. End Summary.

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Lithuania's view on Gymnich Russia talk
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2. (C) Gulbinas told us that EU Foreign Minsiters expressed
broad consensus during the September 1-2 Gymnich that state
control of democratic institutions in Russia has expanded
alarmingly. Nevertheless, opinion about future EU relations
with Russia differed, he said. Lithuania's FM intervened on
Russia, and mentioned the recent cessation of oil supply to
Lithuania's refinery, Maziekiu Nafta. Gulbinas also said
that the GOL thought the Finnish Presidency's invitation to
Russian President Putin to attend the informal October 22 EU
summit in Lahti was "inexplicable and inappropriate," saying
that the EU should extend extraordinary invitations (that is,
outside of scheduled EU-Russia Summits) only to resolve
crises. According to Gulbinas, there was some discussion
among the ministers on a new EU-Russia Partnership and
Cooperation agreement to replace the current one that expires
in 2007. Gulbinas told us that some states want to rush
towards a new EU-Russia agreement while others, including
Lithuania, want "to take time to assess changes both in
Russia and in the EU."

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Iran
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3. (C) Based on the Gymnich, Gulbinas said that he did not
expect any strong statement encouraging another UNSCR on Iran
to come out of the September 18 GAERC, although he added that
Lithuania is not really part of the equation on Iran
discussions. He said that statements from the Finnish
Presidency following the Gymnich were intended not to
undermine Solana's subsequent meetings with Iranian officials.

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Middle East Peace Process
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4. (C) On MEPP, Gulbinas said that Lithuania plays almost no
role in the formation of European consensus due to its lack
of expertise and resources in the area, but he characterized
the European view as: support for President Abbas, support
for formation of a National Unity Government, and revival of
the roadmap overseen by the Quartet.

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Lebanon and Syria
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5. (C) Gulbinas said that, in his opinion, the comment at the
Gymnich about the EU providing technical assistance on border
controls to Syria was "empty," as no such project has been
seriously proposed and Syria would object anyway. Overall,
there have been noises in European structures to broaden
engagement of Syria on issues related to MEPP, he said.

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Ukraine
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6. (C) The Lithuanian FM did not attend the EU-Ukraine
Cooperation Council September 14, although Ukraine-EU
relations are an issue of great interest to Lithuania,
because of the forum's troika format. Gulbinas, just
returned from a tour of the Ukraine-Moldovan border regions,
said that Lithuania agrees with our points on Ukraine and
especially supports the call for rule-of-law and
anti-corruption efforts. Lithuania has reiterated the point
to Ukrainian officials that it is now up to Ukraine to send
positive signals on WTO and NATO engagement, he said.
According to Gulbinas, in recent meetings (not further
specified) Yanukovych's government seemed more positive on
meeting WTO accession commitments than it had been in initial
meetings with the Lithuanians, but it remains ambiguous on
NATO.
CLOUD