LITHUANIA OFFERS TO HOST CONSULTATIONS ON PRTS IN

UNCLAS VILNIUS 000343 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR AF LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA OFFERS TO HOST CONSULTATIONS ON PRTS IN RC(W) ¶1. Lithuanian MFA Senior Counselor for Afghanistan Valdemaras Sarapinas presented DCM June 22 with a proposal for Lithuania to host consultations for countries with PRTs in RC(W) as a follow-up to the Rome meeting March 2008. Serapinas said Lithuania found the Rome meetings very useful and are interested in hosting similar discussions in Vilnius this October. ¶2. Please advise. ¶3. BEGIN TEXT OF PROPOSAL: Vilnius Consultations Provincial Reconstruction Teams Regional Command (West) ¶1. RC(W) PRTs Rome Consultations, which was held in March 2008, was a useful effort to review security challenges and successes in stablilizing the region, to exchange ideas on future developments, reconstruction and development endeavors, to share views on new Afghan government initiatives. The Consultations provided an opportunity to audition the leading nations' positions on the issues from their capitals' perspective. ¶2. New developments on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan and recently introduced new nations strategy papers on Afghanistan provide a solid base for discussions on how nations seek to implement those policies. Regional perspective is important here as well. ¶3. Vilnius Consultations will aim at assessing the security and stability situation in the region since 2008; informing nations on RC(W) HQ's and PRTs' activities, their achievements; discussing perspectives on security enhancement and development, implementation of strategies; considering collective initiatives and projects. ¶4. Participants: Representatives from the capitals, NATO HQ and ISAF HQ would be essential prerequisite; other RC(W) contributing nations; UNAMA, EUPOL representatives, nations' Special envoys on Afghanistan - desirable. END TEXT. CLOUD