US embassy cable - 04VILNIUS1568

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 001568 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR S/CT, INL/AAE, AND DS/IP/EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, ASEC, PREL, LH, HT29 
SUBJECT:  COUNTER-TERRORISM ACTION GROUP DISCUSSES STATE OF 
PLAY IN LITHUANIA 
 
REF: STATE 14279 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  Embassy Vilnius convened a meeting of 
the Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) in Lithuania on 
December 9.  Representatives from the French, German, 
Canadian, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, British, and Russian 
Embassies, as well as EU and UN representatives, compared 
notes on counter-terrorism assistance to Lithuania.  The 
CTAG agreed that the threat of terrorism in Lithuania is 
low.  Some participants noted new risks, such as the 
possibility that terrorists would exploit Lithuania's EU 
membership by using it as an entry point into the rest of 
the EU.  End Summary. 
 
Training for Lithuania 
---------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) During a round table discussion, the participants 
discussed their past counter-terrorism and general law 
enforcement assistance to Lithuania.  No one had any 
specific plans for future counter-terrorism assistance. 
The participants reported the following counter terrorism 
assistance and training for Lithuania: 
 
-- France:  France has provided two small seminars on 
Threat Assessment and Crisis Management and one training 
exercise at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. 
 
-- Germany:  Germany has a Police Attach, assigned to its 
Embassy.  The representative explained that Germany had 
funded many projects, but none were related to counter- 
terrorism.  German training focuses on organized crime, 
witness protection, and undercover operations.  Germany has 
also provided DNA database equipment for the Police 
Forensics Laboratory.  Germany said that its assistance and 
investigation priorities in Lithuania involved trafficking 
in persons, counterfeit Euros, illegal drugs, and 
trafficking in stolen cars.  The Germany representative 
stated that they prefer to deal with a specific unit and 
provide assistance directly to that unit.  Germany said 
that bilateral assistance would decrease because Lithuania 
was now an EU member.  Instead, Lithuania can seek EU 
funding for assistance.  According to Germany, Finland and 
Sweden have also provided a variety of law enforcement 
assistance. 
 
-- Russia:  Russia has provided no assistance to Lithuania. 
The Russians stated that Lithuania had never asked for its 
help, and there were no issues that concerned Russia. 
 
-- Japan:  Japan supported the need for cooperation in 
fighting terrorism, but said that it was the policy of 
Japan to provide counter-terrorism assistance only to the 
Asian countries that surround Japan. 
 
-- United Kingdom:  The UK rep stated that it was difficult 
to obtain counter-terrorism assistance for Lithuania 
because of the low terrorism threat.  The UK provides 
assistance in other areas.  The British representatives 
highlighted their assistance in fighting financial crime 
with training and the donation of special software for 
tracking financial transactions.  Great Britain said that 
two legal experts had reviewed Lithuanian law and 
determined that it was appropriately crafted to facilitate 
terrorism investigations. 
 
-- EU (Dutch Presidency):  A representative for the Dutch 
Embassy attended to represent the EU.  He said that there 
had been no specific EU assistance for counter-terrorism. 
He did not have any information about general law 
enforcement assistance.  He also said that the Netherlands 
had provided no assistance, but emphasized that counter- 
terrorism was now a priority for the Netherlands. 
 
-- Italy:  Italy reported that they had provided no 
counter-terrorism assistance, but had a Memorandum of 
Understanding for Judicial Assistance with Lithuania that 
will be updated in the near future to include terrorism. 
 
-- UNDP:  The UN has no counter-terrorism programs, but 
does have trafficking in persons and drug trafficking 
programs with Lithuania. 
 
-- Spain:  Spain has provided no counter-terrorism 
assistance and has no counter-terrorism agreements.  They 
are working towards an agreement on fighting organized 
crime and terrorism.  Spain said they would cooperate with 
Lithuania in this and all issues within the framework of 
the EU.  The representative from Spain is the Resident 
Twinning Advisor to the Ministry of the Interior. 
 
-- Canada: Canada, which just opened its mission here, has 
provided no assistance yet.  Its representative said that 
Canada will start up in this area in 2005, and will be 
looking to work with other countries to support counter- 
terrorism assistance. 
 
Areas of Risk 
------------- 
 
3. (SBU) The Italian representative noted that, while the 
terrorism threat in Lithuania was low, Lithuania was now 
part of the external border of the EU.  The other 
participants agreed that this could create the potential 
for terrorists to use Lithuania as an entry point into the 
rest of the EU.  France raised the concern that terrorists, 
using organized crime resources in Lithuania, could obtain 
items such as forged documents, and emphasized the 
importance of maintaining a counter-terrorism perspective 
when dealing with such crimes. 
 
Conclusion: Low Risk, Little Assistance 
--------------------------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) CTAG participants share the view that the current 
terrorism threat in Lithuania is low.  The modest support 
provided by CTAG governments to the GOL reflects this 
assessment. 
 
KELLY