CODEL TANNER VISITS VILNIUS

UNCLAS VILNIUS 000241 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OREP NATO PREL PGOV LH SUBJECT: CODEL TANNER VISITS VILNIUS ¶1. Summary. Representatives John Tanner and Jo Ann Emerson visited Vilnius April 4-6. The delegation attended NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) meetings and met with the Speaker of the Seimas (Parliament) Arunas Valinskas and several MPs. Tanner and Emerson thanked MPs for Lithuania's contributions in Afghanistan and encouraged them both to amend Lithuania's residency law and address Jewish property restitution issues. The visit received positive attention from the local media. End summary. -------------- NATO PA MEETINGS -------------- ¶2. The delegation attended the NATO PA meetings on April 5. In a productive session, the NATO PA approved Bulgarian MP Assen Yordanov Agov as the Assembly's new Vice President. Mr. Agov will replace outgoing NATO PA VP Rasa Jukneviciene who vacated the post to serve as Lithuania's Defense Minister. The Assembly also discussed relations with the delegation of the Russian Federation and relations with Belarus. -------------- BILATERAL ISSUES -------------- ¶3. Ambassador Cloud briefed the delegation on bilateral issues and accompanied them to an event hosted by Speaker Valinskas which also included MP Juozas Olekas, MP Emanuelis Zingeris and Director of the Seimas' International Relations Department Sigita Trainauskiene. Representatives Tanner and Emerson thanked the Lithuanians for their friendship and hospitality. Tanner also noted that Lithuania's per capita contribution to Afghanistan is impressive. In turn the MPs thanked the U.S. for its support throughout the Soviet occupation and its' role in regional NATO initiatives such as Baltic Air policing. Tanner and Emerson urged the Lithuanian MPs to amend their residency law, which currently requires Americans (and other non-EU nationals) who are working in Lithuania to live in the country for two years before their family members can receive residency permits to join them. The delegation inquired about Lithuania's energy strategy noting that Lithuania's nuclear power plant will be shut down at the end of this year (in compliance with EU commitments) leaving Lithuania increasingly reliant on Russia for energy needs. MPs acknowledged the problem and said the GOL is working on a number of alternatives including a power link with Sweden. Ambassador Cloud and Representatives Tanner and Emerson also encouraged the GOL to address Jewish property restitution issues. -------------- SHORT VISIT, LASTING IMPRESSION -------------- ¶4. Comment. Representatives Tanner and Emerson enjoyed a warm reception from GOL counterparts. Their visit on the heels of the NATO Summit in Strasbourg underscored the strong working relationship that exists between the U.S. and Lithuania. The visit and the NATO PA meetings received positive attention from local press. ¶5. CODEL Tanner cleared this cable. CLOUD