US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS198

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000198 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/RPM, EUR/PM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2014 
TAGS: MOPS, MCAP, PREL, PGOV, LH, HT6 
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA SOLICITING SUPPORT FOR CHAGCHARAN PRT 
 
Classified By: POL/ECON OFFICER TREVOR BOYD 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  Kestutis Jankauskas, Director of the MFA's 
Security Policy Department, on February 25 outlined the 
status of Lithuania's planning for the Lithuania-led 
provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Chagcharan, 
Afghanistan, and GOL efforts to solicit support for the 
mission from NATO allies.  Jankauskas also confirmed that the 
GOL understood the need to make its PRT requirements known to 
SHAPE, which will coordinate the PRT.  Lithuania, he said, is 
planning to have an advance party of administrative and force 
protection personnel in Chagcharan by May 15.  The GOL 
expects to establish initial operational capabilities by June 
1.  The PRT is scheduled to reach full operational capability 
by October 1.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) Jankauskas provided a read out on whom the Lithuanians 
have approached and likely contributions to the mission as 
follows below, underscoring that no one has yet signed on to 
the mission. 
 
--Denmark's initial thinking is to deploy two six-person 
Military Observer Teams (MOTs). 
--German and Lithuanian Ministers of Defense, meeting at the 
February 12-13 NATO Conference in Munich, discussed possible 
German strategic (between Lithuania and Afghanistan) and 
tactical airlift support (between Kabul and Chagcharan) to 
the mission. The German are planning to provide lift for the 
reconnaissance mission to Chagcharan, to begin as soon as 
weather in the region permits. 
--Lithuania is considering approaching Hungary for a 
contribution. 
--Iceland has given positive indications that it will 
contribute civilian specialists, probably police, to the 
mission. 
--Latvia's foreign minister privately promised the GOL a 
Latvian contribution.  The Latvian ForMin, Jankauskas 
suggested, had apparently gotten ahead of his government's 
official position, and is now working with political leaders 
in Riga to build consensus for a Latvian contribution. 
Lithuania has requested that Latvia redeploy an explosives 
ordinance disposal team, already in Afghanistan, to the 
Chagcharan mission during its next troop rotation. 
--The Netherlands indicated it will likely not contribute to 
the mission. 
--Norway is considering participating, but has made no 
indication regarding what resources it may allocate. 
--Romania has provided no substantive response to GOL 
overtures, but has indicated that it would contribute no more 
than a six-person MOT; 
--Sweden has given positive signals that it will contribute 
civilian law enforcement specialists to the mission. 
--The UK, like Germany, has offered to provide lift to the 
reconnaissance mission.  HMG is considering allocating up to 
ten military personnel to the Chagcharan PRT, but emphasized 
in discussions with the GOL that it has made no commitment 
beyond the offer of reconnaissance lift. 
 
3. (C) Lithuania, Jankauskas said, will include a POLAD in 
the PRT, and has tentatively tapped Dainius Baublys, First 
Secretary of the MFA's Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and 
 
SIPDIS 
Disarmament Division for the job.  Jankauskas said the GOL is 
looking for USG support and advice in locating interpreters 
and securing language training in Dari. 
 
4. (C) Lithuania is prepared to conduct a reconnaissance 
mission to the region.  Severe winter weather, however, has 
postponed their departure since mid-February.  The mission 
has been rescheduled to occur on or about March 15.  Germany 
has agreed to provide strategic airlift assets to the 
operation. 
 
5. (C) Comment.  Lithuania is taking its leadership role in 
the Chagcharan PRT very seriously, and will continue to 
solicit support from NATO allies for the mission, and to work 
the SHAPE bureaucracy.  They will also continue to look to 
the U.S. to fill in the missing pieces. 
Mull