AMBASSADOR VISITS MOLETAI -- A REGION IN TRANSITION

UNCLAS VILNIUS 001014

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON OTRA KGLB EAGR EAID LH
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS MOLETAI -- A REGION IN TRANSITION


1. Ambassador Cloud traveled November 13 to the Moletai
district, a region transforming from a relatively poor,
agrarian-based economy to one based mainly on domestic
tourism to the vast woodlands and lakes in the area. In the
first meeting of the day, he sat down with the long time
Mayor of Moletai and recently elected MP, Valentinas Stundys,
who stressed the need to keep dialogue with the public at the
community level, noting that "at the bottom you can see when
politics takes a wrong turn."


2. The Ambassador also met with leaders of the Balninkai
Community Center, an NGO that in past years has used Baltic
American Partnership Funds to help the people of the region
transition to a more modern economy through lecture series
and computer training. This NGO also sponsors social
services such as care for the elderly and town beautification
projects. The Ambassador praised the NGO leadership for its
use of funds to maintain community pride in the post-Soviet
era and he urged them to look to both the GOL and EU for
additional moneys. Note: Baltic American Partnership funding
ends in 2008.


3. Ambassador Cloud also visited the Suginciu School, notable
because it receives funding from the U.S. GLOBE program and
also because of the school's outreach and education
fundraising in Moletai city and the surrounding region. He
also took a tour of Moletai's history and cultural heritage
museum and closed the day with a visit to the famed Moletai
Observatory, home to one of the largest telescopes in
Northern Europe.


4. The Ambassador's trip attracted media interest. The
Moletai weekly "Vilnis" covered his meeting with Mayor
Stundys. Later in the day he gave an interview to another
weekly, "Moletu Zinios," with whom he shared favorable
impressions of the region, and discussed elections and
financial challenges in both the U.S. and Lithuania.


5. Comment: The Ambassador found Valentinas Stundys a modest
and thoughtful politician. A former teacher, he actually
turned down an opportunity to be considered for Minister of
Health and Social Services in the new Conservative-led
coalition because he did not think he was qualified,
preferring instead to focus on his forte of education.
CLOUD