US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS490

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB (MGERMANO), PM/PPA (SKWAK) 
NSC FOR DAMON WILSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, AF, LH, HT6 
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA SUPPORTS INCREASED VISIBILITY OVER PRT 
CIVILIAN EFFORTS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 82968 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 
1.4 (b) & (d) 
 
1.  (C) We delivered reftel points regarding the U.S. 
proposal to increase visibility over the civilian element of 
ISAF's Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) on May 6 to 
Gediminas Varvuolis, Head of the MFA's NATO Division, Alvydas 
Kunigelis, Acting Director of the MOD's Department of 
International Relations, and LTC Gintautas Zinkevicius, 
Commander of the Lithuanian-led PRT being deployed to 
Chaghcharan, Afghanistan.  Varvuolis commented that one of 
the first things that he and other GOL officials noticed when 
they began planning their PRT mission is the dearth of 
information available on civilian operations in ISAF.  He 
said that he will be in touch with GOL representatives at 
NATO who are taking part in the Periodic Mission Review, and 
stated that the GOL "will very much support this proposal." 
 
2.  (C) Kunigelis and Zinkevicius at the MOD were equally 
supportive.  Zinkevicius was enthusiastic about establishing 
a repository for regular reporting and assessment of civilian 
activities in PRTs.  Zinkevicius pointed out that this could 
complement the online donor assistance database that the 
Government of Afghanistan has established to track aid flows 
into the country. 
Mull