US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS350

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000350 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, LH, AF, DA, HT6 
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA: NO ISAF CAVEATS, BUT WOULD CONSIDER ONE 
FOR COUNTERNARCOTICS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 60862 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) This cable contains a request for information.  Please 
see paragraph 3. 
 
2. (C) We delivered reftel points April 4 on ISAF caveats to 
Bartas Trakymas, Acting Head of the MOD's International 
Organizations Division, and to Gediminas Varvuolis, Head of 
the MFA NATO Division.  Trakymas concurred that national 
caveats are problematic and hinder operational effectiveness. 
Varvuolis agreed, and vowed to raise the topic with ISAF 
partners.  He stated that the only situation in which he 
could envision the GOL imposing caveats on its troops in 
Afghanistan would be if counter-narcotics were added to the 
ISAF mission. 
 
3. (C) Noting that Denmark is considering participating in a 
proposed Lithuanian-led provincial reconstruction team in 
Chaghcharan, Afghanistan, Trakymas inquired as to what 
caveats Denmark has in place for its ISAF deployment.  While 
we suggested that Trakymas might seek this information from 
Lithuania's Danish partners directly, we would welcome any 
information that the Department or our Mission in Copenhagen 
could provide that we might share with Lithuania's MOD. 
Mull