US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS732

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000732 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB AND EUR/UMB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, BO, LH, HT7 
SUBJECT: GOL EAGER TO DEAL QUIETLY WITH DETAINED BELARUSIAN 
COURIER 
 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Senior GOL officials are focused on managing 
the detention by Lithuanian authorities of a Belarusian 
employee of a USAID contractor on charges of money smuggling. 
 The courier was arrested as she attempted to leave Lithuania 
for Belarus with US$25,000, well over the limit set by 
Lithuanian law.  The arrest puts the GOL in a delicate 
position as it seeks to balance its commitments to the rule 
of law and heightened anti-terrorism measures (established in 
large part at USG urging) with the desire not to hand the 
Minsk regime an excuse to further crack down on civil society 
and externally funded projects.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C) The July 8 arrest of Anna Gerasimova by the 
Lithuanian Financial Crimes Investigation Service touched off 
a series of phone calls between Embassy Minsk, Embassy 
Vilnius, and various GOL law enforcement and MFA officials 
over the weekend.  Gerasimova was detained, along with two 
unidentified males, after GOL officials found US$25,000 
hidden in their car.  The money was intended for use by the 
International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), which 
operates a USAID-funded project in Belarus.  Anti-terrorism 
provisions requiring banks to notify the GOL of withdrawals 
exceeding US$10,000 likely tipped GOL investigators off to 
Gerasimova's activities.  GOL officials told us they have 
records indicating that she had moved a total of US$50,000 
out of Lithuania on two prior trips. 
 
3.  (C) We discussed this situation on July 11 with Jonas 
Paslauskas, Director of the MFA's America's Department who 
previously served for six years as the GOL's top envoy in 
Minsk.  Paslauskas told us that the MFA's leadership and 
other top GOL officials were working intensively on the 
issue.  He said the GOL was keen to avoid giving the 
Lukashenko regime an excuse to make it harder for foreign 
governments and NGOs to operate in Belarus.  Paslauskas 
stressed that moving large amounts of money across the border 
in such a matter is dangerous for several reasons.  He 
offered to coordinate with the USG and other organizations to 
avoid similar circumstances in the future.  Paslauskas said 
the GOL uses a variety of individuals and routes to send 
money to groups in Belarus, including its diplomats. 
 
4.  (C) We also discussed the issue with the Acting Minister 
of Interior Stanislovas Liutkevicius.  Liutkevicius confided 
that he had spoken to Foreign Minister Valionis and will be 
in touch with the Prosecutor General as a result of his 
conversation with the Minister.  He said "I think we can 
resolve this, and it could be positive for her (Gerasimova)." 
 Liutkevicius said he is prepared to coordinate with the USG 
in the future if necessary to ensure that couriers do not 
face similar problems. 
 
5.  (C) Comment: It is still unclear what fate awaits 
Gerasimova, though we think it unlikely that the Prosecutor 
General will seek a stiff punishment against someone who is 
working in support of the GOL's overarching interest of 
bringing democracy to Belarus.  The GOL understands the 
stakes involved in this case, and is eager to avoid repeating 
it.  To that end, it is eager to work with the USG and aid 
providers to avoid similar incidents in the future. 
Kelly