(C) LITHUANIA TO INTERVENE ON NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000438 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017 TAGS: EUN ENRG ETRD ETTC KPAL PARM PGOV PREL LH SUBJECT: (C) LITHUANIA TO INTERVENE ON NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY AT JUNE 18-19 GAERC REF: STATE 80034 Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF REBECCA DUNHAM FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D ) ¶1. (C) Summary: Lithuania plans to intervene on neighborhood policy at the June 18-19 GAERC. The GOL is happy with the German Presidency's handling of this issue, but still has some points to add to the conclusions. Lithuania expects a shortened period of discussion for all agenda items to save time for discussion of institutional reforms. End Summary. -------------- EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY -------------- ¶2. (C) We delivered reftel points on the June 18 GAERC agenda items to Tomas Gulbinas, head of the Common Foreign and Security Policy Division at the MFA. Gulbinas told us that the GOL plans to intervene on neighborhood policy. The GOL is happy with the German Presidency's handling of this issue, but has additional points it would like added to the conclusions. In particular the GOL wants to see more market access to integrate countries in the neighborhood into the EU markets. Gulbinas said the GOL also wants to see more progress on visa facilitation. He added that this issue is most problematic in Georgia where South Ossetians and Abkhaz with Russian passports will be able to get visas for far less than those who have Georgian passports. ¶3. (C) Gulbinas continued by saying that the Georgians had circulated a letter to all EU states requesting a start to negotiations on visa facilitation. He said that some EU countries including Austria were hesitant because they were concerned with criminals of Georgian origin getting visas. Gulbinas said that the GOL did not find this argument convincing and that visa facilitation did not mean decreasing security. ¶4. (C) Gulbinas said it was also a GOL priority to get a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for Georgia and an asymmetrical Trade Agreement for Moldova, and work towards Ukraine's entry into the WTO, which would open the way for a FTA. -------------- MOLDOVA -------------- ¶5. (C) Gulbinas gave an update from Moldovan President Voronin's June 9 visit to Lithuania. Voronin met with President Adamkus and former President Brazauskas. Gulbinas said that Voronin admitted in these meetings that there had been discussions with Russia about the Transnistrian conflict outside of the 5 plus 2 format, but that there was no deal in the works. Voronin assured Adamkus that nothing would be signed in the foreseeable future. The GOL encouraged Voronin to stay within the 5 plus 2 format. -------------- CUBA -------------- ¶6. (C) Gulbinas said he expected Spain to continue to press for a more open EU policy with Cuba, but that he didn't think it had the support necessary to overcome the status quo and the 1996 Common Position on Cuba. He said that all discussions would be shortened to save time for discussions of institutional reforms in preparation for the June 21 - 22 European Council meeting. Gulbinas said the GOL thinks this is the wrong time to send a sign of openness to the government of Cuba. ¶7. (C) In a separate meeting on June 12 with Valteris Baliukonis, Foreign Policy Advisor to President Adamkus, Ambassador Cloud stressed the importance of not sending signals of acceptance to the Castro government during this time of transition. Baliukonis accepted this message and agreed. (Note: Lithuania does not have diplomatic relations with Cuba at this time.) -------------- KOSOVO -------------- ¶8. (C) Gulbinas said the GOL supports the Ahtisaari recommendations and hopes for a UNSCR on Kosovo as soon as possible. Gulbinas said the GOL hadn't thought about plan B and didn't want to think about what would happen if the UNSCR were vetoed by Russia. Gulbinas remarked that Russia was a fish that liked to swim in muddy waters and would be happy to VILNIUS 00000438 002 OF 002 see this issue unresolved for as long as possible. CLOUD