GUANTANAMO REFUGEES: LITHUANIA FAVORABLY DISPOSED

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000247 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR S/WCI: CWILLIAMSON FOR EUR/PGI: NCOOK E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PINR KAWC LH SUBJECT: GUANTANAMO REFUGEES: LITHUANIA FAVORABLY DISPOSED TO ACCEPT A FEW REF: A. VILNIUS 216 ¶B. STATE 37005 ¶C. STATE 36991 Classified By: Charge Tom Kelly for reasons 1.4(b) and 1.4(d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para five. ¶2. (C) Following up on his conversation with the Ambassador (ref a),MFA Under Secretary Pavilionis told CDA April 3 that the GOL has made the political decision to accept a small number of detainees from the Guantanamo facility as requested in reftels b and c. Before his government proceeds, Pavilionis requested more information from the USG. To that end, he said, the GOL would welcome a team from Washington to visit Vilnius to discuss the issue in depth with a select group of high-level Lithuanian national security officials drawn from the Foreign Ministry, the President's staff, and other appropriate agencies. ¶3. (C) Key issues of interest to the GOL include: -- What would be the GOL's obligations (in terms of financial support and security, for example) to any detainees accepted here? -- Where would the GOL be expected to house them? A prison? A refugee center? In society at large? -- What is the USG's public diplomacy strategy for such a transfer? If the GOL accepts detainees, should it so state in the press? What, if anything, will the USG say about such a transfer? ¶4. (C) As far as we are aware, Lithuania has no communities of any of the nationalities mentioned in reftels b and c, with the possible exception of a few Uzbeks. We are trying to obtain information on whether and where Uzbeks are located in this country. ¶5. (C) Action Request: We would appreciate a response by OOB April 11 to the GOL's request for a visit. The Ambassador will meet the Prime Minister on April 11 and the Foreign Minister on April 13. KELLY