SNIPISKES CEMETERY UPDATE: ONE STEP FORWARD...

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000704 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2017 TAGS: PREL SCUL LH SUBJECT: SNIPISKES CEMETERY UPDATE: ONE STEP FORWARD... REF: VILNIUS 614 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador John A. Cloud for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. On September 18, the Prime Minister and his cabinet agreed that construction on or near the former Jewish cemetery in the Snipiskes neighborhood of Vilnius should be stopped and further study done. On September 27, however, the responsible agency -- the Cultural Heritage Department in the Ministry of Culture -- issued an order that stopped "ground work," but allowed construction above ground to continue. The work stoppage order was ineffective since the foundation is complete as is most of the four-story apartment building's frame. Construction continues and parts of the Government appear to have acted counter to the intent of the highest levels of the Government. End Summary. Working Group's recommendations, PM's approval -------------- - ¶2. (U) On August 27, Prime Minister Kirkilas reorganized his Working Group dealing with this issue. The Group, led by new chair FM Petras Vaitiekunas, submitted recommendations to the PM, who met with his cabinet of Ministers and approved those recommendations on September 18. The cabinet agreed: -- The Cultural Heritage Department within the Ministry of Culture has the authority to and should stop construction. -- The Government should apply to the Prosecutor's Office to investigate the legality of the land purchase of the construction area. -- The Lithuanian Geological Service in the Ministry of Environment will conduct a study, in cooperation with international experts and Lithuanian specialists within two months to help specify the boundaries of the cemetery. -- Additional archeological, archival, historical, and cartographic research should be done as needed. -- The Ministry of Justice should report to the Government on the possible legal consequences of halting construction. ¶3. (C) President Valdas Adamkus spoke privately to Jewish groups in New York on September 26 and told them the construction had been stopped. The Prime Minister told Rabbi Andrew Baker, Director of International Jewish Affairs of the American Jewish Congress, on September 27 that construction would be halted later that day. ¶4. (U) On September 27, however, the Cultural Heritage Department issued a work stoppage order that applies only to "ground work." This had no effect, since the foundation and all ground work is complete. Construction continues above ground on the four story building, the frame of which is virtually complete. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The Ministry of Culture's Cultural Heritage Department read between the lines of the Prime Minister's order and tried to comply formally without actually stopping construction. The Ministry of Culture is headed by the Liberal and Center Union party, a partner in the PM's minority ruling coalition. Former Mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas is the head of the party, and is alleged to have ties to the building's developers and even a financial interest in the project. The Ministry has been a source of delays and diversions since it became involved in this issue in December ¶2006. We continue to press the PM to move forward on this issue, (most recently in a meeting with the Ambassador on October 1) despite the difficulties of disciplining a coalition partner member. CLOUD