LITHUANIA OK ON IAEA-INDIA AGREEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000571 SIPDIS ISN/RA:TKOCA, SCA/RA:JMCCLELLAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018 TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC IAEA LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA OK ON IAEA-INDIA AGREEMENT REF: STATE 74896 Classified By: Ambassador John A. Cloud for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) MFA First Secretary for Arms Control Rimgaile Karciauskaite said July 17 that the GOL had reviewed a copy of India's proposed safeguards agreement now before the IAEA Board of Governors, and it is "probably fine with it." She said Lithuania is happy to bring India into the "IAEA mainstream" but that some EU member states have noted that India is not party to the NPT and question why safeguard exceptions will be granted to them (if the IAEA Board approves this agreement). We responded that these are valid concerns but they should not be addressed by the IAEA Board, which should only rule on whether the India agreement provides effective safeguards. CLOUD