LITHUANIA'S GO-FORWARD STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VILNIUS 000699 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/SRAP AMBASSADOR RICHARD HOLBROOKE AND PDAS JONES STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/RPM AND SCA/A HENRY ENSHER EMBASSY KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR WAYNE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2019 TAGS: AF MAPP MOPS NATO PREL EAID LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA'S GO-FORWARD STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN REF: A. VILNIUS 695 ¶B. VILNIUS 652 ¶C. VILNIUS 635 ¶D. VILNIUS 618 ¶E. VILNIUS 594 ¶F. KABUL 3845 Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Members of the U.S. delegation to the December 8-9 GOL-hosted RC-West conference met bilaterally with MFA and MOD representatives on December 9 to discuss RC-West conference conclusions and future strategy for Afghanistan. The U.S. delegation underscored that we should work together to forward the Kabul - Herat road construction project and to conclude the MOU on support for USG representatives at the Ghor PRT. GOL officials also delivered a clear message that they are committed to the mission in Afghanistan; however the GOL needs USG assistance with its development program and its resource planning to maintain forward momentum. Senior MFA representatives pledged to make Afghanistan a focus of Lithuania's OSCE chairmanship in 2011. MOD officials asked for help to fill the staffing gap at the Ghor PRT after Croatian troops leave in mid-2010 and for USG support to centralize terms of engagement with Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security offices in RC-South. The GOL plans to further enhance the civilian component of its mission. The GOL is grateful for U.S. civilian engagement at the Ghor PRT, and seeks additional civilian resources to expand capacity building initiatives in the province. Lithuania is organizing a Ghor Donors Conference in spring 2010 which it will use to promote priority development projects such as constructing a road from Herat to Kabul. End summary. ¶2. (C) Director of the Office of Afghanistan Affairs Henry Ensher, Senior Civilian Representative in RC-West Brad Hanson, USAID Field Officer Hilda Grigorian and Emboffs met with MOD's Political Director Andrius Krivas, MFA's Political Director Eitvydas Bajarunas, Lithuania's Ambassador to Afghanistan Dainius Junevicius and MFA's Chief Counselor Valdemaras Sarapinas (who was recently appointed as MFA lead on Afghanistan issues) on December 9 to discuss RC-West conference conclusions and strategy for Afghanistan. Bajarunas said the GOL was "delighted" with the RC-West conference and the opportunity to discuss the unique situation in Western Afghanistan with international participants (REFTEL A). He elaborated that the GOL is already thinking about ways to reshuffle its Afghanistan engagements based on ideas that were discussed during the conference. ¶3. (C) Bajarunas explained that when the GOL started working in Ghor it was focused on military engagement. It is now clear that the GOL should develop the civilian side of its engagement as well. Bajarunas said that both he and Krivas would approach their respective Ministers with this idea. Henry Ensher replied that the U.S. is also working to expand civilian engagement. He thanked the GOL for organizing the conference and said that the U.S. is grateful and admiring of Lithuania's exceptional work in Afghanistan. Ensher underscored that we understand the political and economic situation in Lithuania which makes its contribution all the more impressive. Regarding the conference Ensher said that he was interested in the proposal to begin transition of authority in the more stable North and West provinces of Afghanistan. He encouraged the GOL to work closely with the Afghan people on capacity building initiatives. -------------- OSCE Role in Afghanistan -------------- ¶4. (C) Bajarunas said the GOL will engage Central Asian colleagues on Afghanistan when it chairs the OSCE in 2011. He said that Afghanistan is a priority for the OSCE even though Russia has blocked OSCE activity in Afghanistan. The OSCE is instead working in coordination with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on border issues such as lost passports and drug VILNIUS 00000699 002 OF 003 smuggling. Bajarunas said that Kazakhstan is planning to pledge USD 50M for education projects in Afghanistan. The GOL is trying to get a piece of this funding for agricultural training in Ghor province. -------------- GOL Challenges in Afghanistan -------------- ¶5. (C) Krivas thanked the USG for sending a strong and representative delegation to RC-West. He said the GOL appreciates USAID's presence in Chaghcharan and its support of local projects especially the Chaghcharan airport renovation. He also recognized that the U.S. military is very helpful in transporting Lithuanian contingents to and from Afghanistan. Krivas asked for help to find a replacement for the 35 Croatian patrol troops who will be leaving the Ghor PRT in 2010. He recalled that Ambassador Vershbow had offered Pentagon support to find a way to fill the gap and emphasized that our diplomatic and political - military assistance would be appreciated. Krivas added that the GOL plans to deploy additional troops to Ghor but will not be able to fill all 35 positions. ¶6. (C) Krivas also confided that the GOL is experiencing "resource pressure" in RC-South where it deploys Special Operations Forces. Krivas explained that some countries are signing MOUs with the National Directorate of Security (NDS) offices to provide uniforms, equipment and other capabilities as part of partnering initiatives. The GOL is at a disadvantage because it does not have funding to equip the NDS. The MOD wants a more unified approach on how to engage the Afghan NDS such as an agreement between ISAF and the GIRoA or an agreement between ISAF and NDS itself to manage expectations for partnering initiatives. MOD's Tomas Urbonas emphasized that the issue is not about equipment procurement but about having a centralized approach to NDS engagement. Ensher suggested that it would make sense to raise this issue with ISAF HQ. -------------- Plans for Ghor Province -------------- ¶7. (C) Krivas acknowledged that training of Afghan National Security Forces is a high priority. Since the Afghan National Army is not present in Ghor on a permanent basis, he said that a PMLT will likely be established before an OMLT. Krivas elaborated that the GOL is working with the PA National Guard on a PMLT initiative which they hope will bear fruit by next October. Sarapinas added that strengthening the civilian component of their mission in Ghor is important. He said that President Obama's announcement is "full of good news" especially with regards to a surge of civilian advisors. Sarapinas expressed gratitude for the USDA representative who will be joining the Ghor PRT in January and asked if the U.S. could help to place additional civilian experts in Ghor. He said that the GOL also needs help to attract sponsors to Ghor development projects. Sarapinas noted that Japan's contributions to Ghor are a success story. He asked if the USG could send a political message to potential sponsors Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to encourage them to invest in Ghor province. ¶8. (C) Ambassador Junevicius said the GOL plans to hold a Ghor Donors Conference in 2010 in Kabul with a possible side trip to Chaghcharan. The GOL is working with the local government to develop the idea. Bajarunas said the EC supports the conference concept and encouraged the GOL to work closely with the UNAMA. He said that the GOL would appreciate USG guidance with the planning process. Grigorian suggested that the GOL needs to work closely with the local government in Ghor to revamp the Provincial Development Plan and make it into a working document that can be shared at the conference. ¶9. (C) Regarding specific development projects, Hanson said that constructing a road from Herat to Kabul is a top priority. He said that USAID is actively seeking new funding for its budget to build a portion of the road from Herat to VILNIUS 00000699 003 OF 003 Chaghcharan via the strategic Salma dam in Herat province. We encouraged the GOL to work together with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and international sponsors to coordinate plans for the road construction. Hanson also said that he and Embassy Kabul are looking forward on GOL feedback on the MOU for the provision of life, security and mobility support at Lithuanian-operated facilities in Afghanistan. -------------- A Note on Public Relations -------------- ¶10. (U) Ensher shared that he would be speaking to the local press about the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan and asked if there were any specific messages that the GOL is trying to promote. Bajarunas and Krivas replied that 1) In response to those who oppose the GOL's Afghan engagement, NATO's collective investment in Lithuania's security is deeper than Lithuania's individual contribution to the NATO mission. For example, the GOL would not be able to fund air space defense if it were acting alone. 2) In response to those who believe that Afghanistan has nothing to do with Lithuania, the GOL is defending its own security in Afghanistan. 3) In response to those who think this war is no different from the USSR's invasion of Afghanistan, the USSR was fighting against the Afghan people and NATO is fighting for them. -------------- Comment and Action Request -------------- ¶11. (C) Lithuania remains a strong and committed partner in Afghanistan despite daunting financial and human resource constraints. It is in our interest to help the GOL succeed in its mission in Afghanistan, especially running the Ghor PRT, as Lithuania's strategic goals for Afghanistan are closely aligned with our own. Per Henry Ensher's suggestion we will encourage the GOL to approach ISAF HQ regarding their concerns about decentralized terms of engagement with Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security offices in RC-South. We request Department of State and Department of Defense engagement to help the GOL to find replacement troops for the 35 Croatian soldiers who are leaving the Ghor PRT in 2010, to support the Ghor Donors conference in late spring 2010, to send a political message to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan supporting investment in Ghor and to see if any additional civilian resources could be assigned to the Ghor PRT. End comment. DERSE