LITHUANIA WILL FOCUS ON RUSSIA ISSUES AT GYMNICH

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000626 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2017 TAGS: EUN PGOV PREL YI RS CH IN LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA WILL FOCUS ON RUSSIA ISSUES AT GYMNICH REF: STATE 123576 Classified By: CHARGE DAMIAN LEADER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Lithuania plans to focus on Russia for the September 7 GYMNICH meeting. FM Vaitiekunas will argue that problems of individual EU member states with Russia should be approached as collective EU problems. He will also seek to take the agenda focus off of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Russia and reevaluate the Russia-EU relationship. Vaitiekunas may also speak about Kosovo. Lithuania remains prepared to recognize Kosovo if independence is declared but some other members are not ready. End Summary. ¶2. (C) We delivered reftel points to Egidijus Navikas, Head of the MFA's Common Foreign and Security Policy Division on September 4. Navikas told us that FM Vaitiekunas will not speak on Iran, China, India, or the Middle East. He will follow the discussions with interest, but would like to speak about Russia. Vaitiekunas will assert that problems such as the Polish meat issue should be treated as EU-Russia issues, not as individual member state issues. He may mention the handling of the investigation in Kaliningrad into the death of a Lithuanian businessman as an example of Russia's desire to treat these issues as individual member state problems. ¶3. (C) Navikas said that Vaitiekunas will try to take the focus off of a PCA agreement with Russia and stress that the EU should not accept an asymmetrical partnership. Vaitiekunas will try to redirect attention towards energy planning and consolidation and conflict resolution before the Russia-EU Summit in October. Navikas told us that Vaitiekunas will not present a miracle solution, but he will propose a pragmatic alternative to continuing PCA negotiations with no Russian change in position. ¶4. (C) Navikas said Vaitiekunas may or may not speak on Kosovo. He assured us that the GOL is prepared to recognize Kosovo following a declaration of independence, but he thought that Spain, Greece, and Slovakia are not ready for that step. Navikas told us he thinks the GYMNICH may be used to explore a common EU position on Kosovo and that the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) mission will get worked out one way or another. Navikas said that the basis for the ESDP mission could perhaps be an invitation from the government of an independent Kosovo. Navikas thanked the USG for reftel information and offered to meet after the GYMNICH if we have any questions. LEADER