AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES WASHINGTON MEETINGS WITH PM

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000477 E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2018 TAGS: MOPS MARR ENRG SCUL PHUM XH IZ AF LH SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES WASHINGTON MEETINGS WITH PM KIRKILAS Classified By: Ambassador John A. Cloud for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Cloud met June 18 with Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas to discuss his July 2 meetings with the Vice President and other senior officials in Washington. Kirkilas said there is no decision yet on extending Lithuanian troops in Iraq past July; said Lithuania hopes to provide additional Special Forces to Afghanistan if others can provide assistance; reaffirmed that Lithuania is willing to host MD interceptors if negotiations with Poland fail; expressed concern over Georgia; and said Lithuania would like to host a NATO energy security center. The Ambassador encouraged him to meet with Jewish groups in the U.S. to respond to concerns over communal property restitution and other issues. Kirkilas was accompanied by foreign policy advisor Mindaugas Jurkynas, Ambassador Cloud by his DCM. End summary. Iraq Deployment -------------- ¶2. (C) Kirkilas said that the State Security Council met June 17 to discuss DefMin Olekas's opposition to continuing Iraq's deployment in Iraq past July. Kirkilas said domestic politics are the problem: Olekas, a fellow Social Democrat, is supported by others within the party and, with elections in October, Kirkilas does not want to let Olekas use Iraq to split the party. Kirkilas hoped the 40-man deployment could be extended to the end of the year by swapping out ten soldiers at a time so no decision would have to be made on a "new deployment." Kirkilas understands he cannot go to Washington without a decision on Iraq, and explained he would meet that evening with Olekas and hoped to convince him to agree to keep the troops in Iraq until year's end. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador stressed that our commanders in Iraq value the Lithuanian contribution for their military rather than just symbolic value. Afghanistan -------------- ¶4. (C) Kirkilas said Lithuania hopes to increase its Special Forces deployment in Afghanistan, but will need support for that because of budgetary problems. Turning to Lithuania's desire for development assistance in Ghor province (where it runs a PRT),the Ambassador said he was pleased the U.S.-arranged meeting among FM Vaitiekunas, USAID Director Fore, and potential donors (including UAE and Saudi Arabia) had resulted in forward motion. He encouraged the GOL to act now on feasibility studies for the road and airport work in Ghor Province and to get them to the potential donors as soon as possible. The Ambassador underscored continuing USG support as shown by the return of a political officer to Chaghcharan and the presence of a USAID officer. Missile Defense -------------- ¶5. (C) Kirkilas said the GOL is ready to host MD interceptors in Lithuania as discussed with U/S Rood in May. Lithuania considers Poland a strategic partner, however, and does not want to get crossways with the Poles. He asked about the status of U.S.-Polish MD negotiations. The Ambassador said negotiations are continuing and we remain hopeful an agreement can be reached soon on deployment. Kirkilas said Lithuania stands by should that not be possible. Georgia -------------- ¶6. (C) Lithuania is in close touch with Georgian President Saakashvili, Kirkilas said, and is growing increasingly concerned that the situation is worsening there. The Lithuanians are trying to convince Saakashvili to take a more considered approach, but he appears ready to start a war with Russia which he thinks he can win. The Ambassador said we are working closely with Georgia to ensure that Saakashvili understands that there is no military solution. Belarus -------------- ¶7. (C) Kirkilas asked our assessment of Belarus. The Ambassador again thanked Lithuania for its willingness to be our protective power had our Embassy closed, but said we are keeping it open in its reduced state so we can be supportive of democratic forces. We are making sure our sanctions cover all the entities of the targeted state enterprises, and will closely watch the Government's conduct of the elections this fall. Kirkilas offered to have the Lithuanian embassy in Minsk help us in any way it can in the lead up to elections. Energy Security -------------- ¶8. (C) Lithuania would like to open a NATO energy security center, Kirkilas said. Although NATO was not yet ready to support the idea, it has been "spiritually" supportive. Lithuania will develop the concept more fully and may ask Secretary Gates for USG support for this initiative, he said. Jewish Issues -------------- ¶9. (C) The Ambassador said he had understood earlier that Kirkilas would be meeting with Jewish groups in New York to address their concerns over communal property restitution, the prosecution of Holocaust survivors, and construction on the site of an historic cemetery. However, according to the latest schedule made available to the Embassy, the only related meeting scheduled was with YIVO, which did not follow those issues. Kirkilas said he would make sure appropriate meetings were arranged. CLOUD