YUSHCHENKO VISITS LITHUANIA, REBUFFED ON BILATERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 001047

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018
TAGS: PREL XG UP LH
SUBJECT: YUSHCHENKO VISITS LITHUANIA, REBUFFED ON BILATERAL
SECURITY AGREEMENT

Classified By: DCM Damian R. Leader for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: President Adamkus and Ukrainian President
Yushchenko met December 9 in Vilnius to sign a "roadmap" for
the Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership, previously
announced in May. They also discussed Ukraine's membership
in the new EU Eastern Partnership initiative, and the
NATO-Ukraine Commission. Adamkus also told Yushchenko that
Lithuania is not prepared to sign a bilateral common defense
and security agreement at this time. Looking forward, new
GOL Foreign Minister Usackas will visit Kyiv to discuss
EU/NATO cooperation issues after Christmas. End summary.


2. (C) Presidential Advisor Simonas Satunas told DCM December
11 that the Yushchenko visit December 9 was prompted by the
Ukrainian President's "urgent" desire to sign the "roadmap"
for the Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership. The
joint declaration itself was announced in May. The "roadmap"
covers the actual security, economic, energy, and
environmental cooperation called for by the declaration.


3. (C) Satunas also said Yushchenko pressed Adamkus on
agreeing to a bilateral security and defense agreement,
something that was first presented to Lithuania in November.
Such an agreement would commit Lithuania to an Article 5-like
common defense guarantee with Ukraine. Yushchenko claimed
the U.S. was close to signing a similar guarantee. Adamkus
told him however that Lithuania is not prepared to sign such
an agreement at this time. The Ukrainian President also
raised the December 2-3 NATO ministerial in Brussels, saying
he was happy with the result even though his country did not
receive MAP. He also told Adamkus that he has advocated NATO
membership with the Ukrainian public for the past two years
and that support for membership has doubled since then from
17 to 34 percent.


4. (C) Satunas said the Presidents also discussed corruption
and energy issues. Yushchenko agreed that there are problems
for Lithuanian investors in Ukraine due to corruption. He
told Adamkus that these investors should raise any corruption
issues directly with the President's office and that he will
help "sort them out." Yushchenko and Adamkus also agreed to
set up a Belarus-Lithuania-Ukraine trilateral group to
discuss ways to export Ukrainian electricity to Lithuania --
something Lithuania seeks as a way to end its energy
isolation -- as expeditiously and transparently as possible.


5. (C) MFA Head of Ukraine and Moldova Division Dainius
Zikevicius told Post December 16 that new Foreign Minister
Usackas will visit Ukraine sometime in the next month. He
intends to meet with the Ukrainian President, Prime Minister,
and Foreign Minister, and will further engage with the
Ukrainians on the EU Eastern Partnership and the NATO-EU
Commission.
CLOUD