LITHUANIAN VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000146 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN ZL PK AF ZI IR GG IS SY LE LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIAN VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE GAERC REF: STATE 22352 Classified By: Charge Damian R. Leader for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOL priority for the March 10-11 GAERC is increased EU engagement with Georgia. The Lithuanians are supportive of our positions on Kosovo and Pakistan, and we urged them to adopt a strong policy toward limited engagement with Syria and advocate it within the EU. The GOL doubts a common position on sanctions against Iran will emerge at the GAERC. On Afghanistan, we pushed for increased police training by the EU in the more remote regions of Afghanistan, such as Ghor province, where the Lithuanians themselves operate a PRT. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) We shared reftel points and non-paper March 6 with MFA Counselor of the EU Division Arunas Trakimavicius, who highlighted increased EU engagement with Georgia as the GOL priority for the March 10-11 GAERC. This would include concluding language that calls for greater EU-Georgia visa facilitation, increased trade opportunities, parliament to parliament assistance, and enhanced conflict resolution in the Caucasus. ¶3. (C) Trakimavicius agreed on the need for vigilance in Kosovo, and said he expects the Seimas (Parliament) vote on independence in the second half of March. ¶4. (C) On the Middle East, Trakimavicius pointed out that the GOL lacks a defined policy toward that region. We urged him to help create a GOL policy that does not include high-level engagement with undemocratic regimes such as Syria, and that the GOL should support an EU wide policy of limiting Syrian engagement to High Representative Javier Solana. Trakimavicius said he expects GAERC concluding language will also include a limited, positive reference to the recent elections in Pakistan, and a call for EU support for its new government. ¶5. (C) Trakimavicius is not sure the EU will be in a position to adopt a common position on EU sanctions toward Iran at the GAERC but he does expect it will emerge in "the near future." We urged the GOL to advocate that the EU increase its police training capacity and mission in Afghanistan, especially in the remote regions that desperately need more attention, such as Ghor province -- where the GOL operates a PRT. We also suggested increased EU pressure where possible in Zimbabwe to allow international observers into the country for their March 29 parliamentary elections. LEADER