GAERC: LITHUANIA SUPPORTS U.S. JOINING EU

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000393 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN LH SUBJECT: GAERC: LITHUANIA SUPPORTS U.S. JOINING EU MONITORING MISSION IN GEORGIA Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Damian R. Leader for reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Lithuania is confident that the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia will be renewed for another year at the upcoming GAERC meeting. Lithuania would welcome U.S. involvement with the EUMM. Although Lithuania expressed less interest in other topics to be addressed at the July GAERC meeting, it will support strengthening of sanctions against Iran. End summary. ¶2. (C) We met with the head of the MFA's Common Foreign and Security Policy Division, Egidijus Navikas, on July 17 to discuss the July 27-28 GAERC meeting. Navikas said that Lithuania considered Georgia the most important item on the agenda. He said there was no doubt that the EUMM mandate would be renewed for one year, and shared with us a draft Council conclusion extending the mandate until Sept. 14, 2010, and regretting that no such agreement has been reached on the future of the UN and OSCE missions in Georgia. ¶3. (C) Navikas said that Lithuania would strongly welcome U.S. involvement with the EUMM. Asked how the United States could best contribute, he replied, "By sending personnel there, and also equipment." Details of any participation would have to be worked out with Brussels rather than depending on the wishes of any single EU member state, he said. ¶4. (C) On Somalia, Navikas listened to our points but offered little comment. On Iran, he said Lithuania shared our concern about the arrests of foreign citizens and staff members of the British Embassy and the restrictions on media freedom. Navikas said several possible responses to the British Embassy arrests were discussed at the most recent EU Political Directors' meeting in Stockholm -- including demarches, visa bans and making it more difficult for Iranian officials to receive diplomatic visas -- but that he did not know what steps, if any, would be taken. Though Lithuania will not lead any discussion on Iran, he said, "If asked, we will support stronger sanctions." LEADER