LITHUANIA, EU ADVOCATE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TO BOSNIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000924 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV XG BK EU LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA, EU ADVOCATE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TO BOSNIAN CIVIL SOCIETY REF: A. STATE 113894 ¶B. VILNIUS 923 Classified By: Charge Damian R. Leader for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The MFA's Acting Head of EU Enlargement Nerijus Aleksiejunas told Post October 28 that Lithuania is concerned by the deteriorating situation in Bosnia (ref a) -- all the more disturbing, he pointed out, given that the Bosnians just signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in June 2008 and are currently negotiating Schengen visa facilitation. ¶2. (C) Aleksiejunas said Lithuania is working within the EU to keep Bosnia on a path to European integration and that many in Brussels are advocating an increase in EU-centered public diplomacy as a way to "enforce" the EU perspective with Bosnian civil society. He noted the "unhelpfulness" of Prime Minister Dodik's comments hinting at eventual independence for the Republic of Srpska, and said the EU plans to take a mediating role in any ethnic-based disagreements within Bosnia. ¶3. (C) Post also raised Bosnia with the Head of Common Foreign and Security Policy Egidijus Navikas when discussing the November Gymnich and GAERC meetings (ref b). Navikas, more senior on EU issues than Aleksiejunas, confirmed both EU and Lithuanian concerns about Bosnia but said honestly that he doubted the situation there would get much focus in upcoming EU meetings, which will be more about EU-Russia and U.S.-EU relations. LEADER