US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS641

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000641 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, EAGR, LH, HT9 
SUBJECT: LITHUANIAN LEADERSHIP ON EU CRISES 
 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY: President Valdas Adamkus and Foreign 
Minister Antanas Valionis, who both witnessed the collapse of 
the EU summit last week, discussed recent events in the EU 
separately with the Ambassador on the margins of June 20 
meetings on Iraq.  Adamkus offered an insight into his 
dealing with French President Jacques Chirac at the June 17 
EU's budget meeting in Brussels.  Valionis said that there 
are multiple crises facing the EU, with more difficultly 
looming ahead.  He also expressed concern about the 
membership aspirations of nations on the EU's border, which 
the GOL has enthusiastically supported.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) Adamkus relayed to the Ambassador a brief exchange he 
had with the French President at last week's budget meeting. 
In response to Chirac's comment that "We (the EU) have 
problems," Adamkus replied, "Yes, and France could do more to 
solve them."  Valionis attributed the collapse of the EU 
Summit in Brussels to a "crisis of leaders," pointing 
particularly to Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard 
Schroeder, whom he described as "weak."  On the other hand, 
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was "strong after his recent 
election victory."  Valionis remarked that the one party to 
benefit from the EU's recent difficulties is Russia, which 
"feels strengthened."  Valionis predicted that in addition to 
the French and Dutch "no" votes and the EU's failure to agree 
to a budget, a "third crisis" looming in the EU's near-future 
is debate over reform of the Common Agriculture Policy. 
 
3.  (C) The Ambassador commended Valionis for the 
constructive role Lithuania played in trying to reach budget 
deal.  Valionis explained that the offer the GOL made along 
with other new EU members to forgo some of the future aid it 
expected to receive was an effort to help reach agreement 
now, rather than later.  He said that Lithuania stands to 
lose funds by the delay. 
 
4.  (C) Valionis said that the GOL is concerned that a 
repercussion of the EU's recent setbacks could be the halting 
of the enlargement process.  He cited the membership 
aspirations of Ukraine, Moldova and Turkey as particularly 
imperiled.  He highlighted the danger to NATO's cohesiveness 
if Turkey is shut out of the EU. 
 
5.  (C) COMMENT: Lithuania has a lot at stake in the 
resolution of the EU's current dilemmas.  The GOL is keen to 
protect as much of the structural funds it expects to receive 
in the EU's next budget as possible.  Both President Adamkus 
and the Brazuaskas government have also invested much 
political capital it promoting the membership goals of the 
nations on the EU's border, which they see as a key to their 
overarching foreign policy goal of promoting democratic, 
pro-Western regimes in the region.  The EU's current 
difficulties have thus cast GOL leaders into the role of 
compromise-seekers. 
Mull