GAERC: LITHUANIA WILL PUSH ON OPENINGS TO GEORGIA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000100 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018 TAGS: EUN PHUM PREL KVIR IS IR CD BM LH SUBJECT: GAERC: LITHUANIA WILL PUSH ON OPENINGS TO GEORGIA, MOLDOVA REF: SECSTATE 15648 Classified By: Ambassador John A. Cloud for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) We delivered reftel points to MFA Head of Common Foreign and Security Policy Division (EU Department) Egidijus Navikas February 15. Navikas re-confirmed GOL's intent to issue a statement in support of Kosovo independence immediately after the EU and the United States. Navikas said he thought Kosovo would declare independence imminently and that EU political directors would then start the process of drafting a statement of support so that it would be ready for the GAERC meeting. ¶2. (C) Navikas also relayed the GOL's other main goals for February's GAERC: language in the concluding text about the possibility of an enhanced EU Neighborhood Policy regarding visa facilitation and free trade agreements with Georgia, EU involvement in conflict resolution in Georgia, and an updated EU-Moldova cooperation treaty. Navikas said he strongly doubts the EU will agree to these three actions on February 18, but the GOL hopes to get the process started by having language saying that the EU "will reflect" on them. ¶3. (C) Navikas said the GOL will probably do more "listening than speaking" on the other topics of GAERC, including the Middle East, Iran, Lebanon, Chad, Economic Partnership Agreements, and Burma, noting that these issues are not foreign policy priorities of the GOL at this time. CLOUD