LITHUANIAN PERSPECTIVE ON NATO ENLARGEMENT GOALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000601 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2019 TAGS: KTIA PREL NATO PARM MARR LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIAN PERSPECTIVE ON NATO ENLARGEMENT GOALS REF: SECSTATE 113840 Classified By: Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief JMFinkbeiner for reasons 1 .4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) We met with MFA's Director of Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Gediminas Varvuolis and Third Secretary Inga Maskelyte on November 6 to discuss reftel talking points on NATO enlargement. According to Varvuolis, the GOL supports both Montenegro's and Bosia's bids for NATO membership. However, Varvuolis said that the GOL is concerned about how Georgia and Ukraine will react if Montenegro and Bosnia are granted entry into MAP. He underscored the GOL's strong support for Georgia's and Ukraine's NATO aspirations, and confided that the GOL is receiving "alarmist" messages from Georgia about the apparent fast track towards NATO membership for both Montenegro and Bosnia. ¶2. (C) Varvuolis said that while he understands that Georgia and Ukraine have problems and are not progressing as hoped, NATO needs to consider a "face saving" option for the two aspirants. We urged the GOL not to reopen the debate of whether MAP should be the only path to NATO membership. Varvuolis pressed that previously agreed compromise language indicates that MAP is still required for NATO membership and questioned where this leaves Georgia and Ukraine. The GOL advocates multiple paths to NATO membership and may speak to this point at the December Ministerial as a show of support for Georgia and Ukraine, he added. DERSE