LITHUANIA'S PLANS FOR GAERC: ENERGY AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000047 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG EAID EUN LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA'S PLANS FOR GAERC: ENERGY AND NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY REF: A. SECSTATE 5640 ¶B. SECSTATE 5256 ¶C. VILNIUS 39 ¶D. VILNIUS 11 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Rebecca Dunham for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Summary. Lithuania's Foreign Minister plans to intervene at the January 22-23 GAERC on European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and external energy policy. The GOL supports the UN envoy in Kosovo and agrees that strengthening sanctions and promoting democracy are both needed in Iran. End Summary. European Neighborhood Policy -------------- ¶2. (C) We delivered refs A and B points on January 18 to the MFA's Common Foreign and Security Policy Division Head, Tomas Gulbinas, who prepares the Minister's briefing book for the GAERC. He said that the GOL "fully agrees" with the USG position on ENP. He said that the ENP discussion will focus on a discussion of a December report, with room for some proposals. He expects Germany to discuss its plans for this half-year. He said the December report is, as its title suggests, a very positive step toward "Strengthening the European Neighborhood Policy." The GOL is very pleased with the progress being made on an issue to which it believes it contributed through the MFA's paper on this subject circulated in summer 2006. External energy policy -------------- ¶3. (C) Gulbinas said that discussions at the GAERC will contribute to awareness of this issue and solidify support for the EU to seriously address it. The FM will speak in support of the EU speaking with one voice on the issue. Support for the UN's Special Envoy in Kosovo -------------- ¶4. (C) Gulbinas said that the GOL agrees with the USG that there should be no further delays in moving ahead with the recommendations of the UN's Special Envoy in Kosovo. He added that most EU members agree, with the notable exception of France. We also spoke on January 17 to Aleksandras Kudaba, Head of the MFA's Central and Southeastern Europe Division (ref C). He also said that the GOL will support the Special Envoy's recommendations on Kosovo, and he agreed with us that the EU and the USG should have a unified position. Broader sanctions on Iran -------------- ¶5. (C) Gulbinas said that individual countries and the EU should enforce broad sanctions on Iran, broader than UNSCR 1737, which was reached through compromise. This broadening can occur by expanding national "watch lists" to include more groups and individuals than are on the resolution, as the GOL recently agreed to do (ref D). The GOL also agrees that promoting democracy is important, but it currently has no programs or plans for programs in Iran. (Lithuania has no diplomatic representation in Iran.) "Window of opportunity" for Poland and Russia to settle meat issues -------------- ¶6. (C) Gulbinas said there were meetings on January 17 in Warsaw between the Poles and the Russians to try to resolve the disagreement over Polish export of meat into Russia. He had heard there may be a "window of opportunity" to resolve this issue. If that is resolved, he said, the EU and Russia could agree to a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement sometime soon. Other Issues -------------- ¶7. (C) Gulbinas thought that nothing substantial would be said at this GAERC on the Middle East Peace Process, but he agreed that the EU should take a more active role to limit situations such as the Spanish and French-led initiative of last November. He said that the GOL agreed with the USG's approach in Somalia and appreciated the USG's financial support for establishing an African Union presence there. He had little to say about Darfur, but agreed that the Sudanese government needs to accept a United VILNIUS 00000047 002 OF 002 Nations-controlled peacekeeping force. CLOUD