US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS767

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000767 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/PPD, CA/VO, FSI/SPAS/CON, FRANKFURT 
FOR RCO - BARBARA ARMSTRONG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS, PREL, KPAO, LH, HT43 
SUBJECT:  WORK ON LITHUANIA'S ROADMAP 
 
REF: VILNIUS 0718 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: We have begun taking concrete steps to 
implement Lithuania's Visa Waiver roadmap.  Since the first 
meeting of our Consular Working Group (CWG) on June 29 
(reftel), Consul discussed visa issues on a national radio 
program with an MFA rep as part of our joint Public 
Diplomacy campaign, GOL officials briefed us on detecting 
counterfeit Lithuanian passports, and we demonstrated our 
consular operations to CWG members.  These successful joint 
efforts demonstrate the effectiveness of our working-level 
CWG and the potential for continued close cooperation on 
roadmap issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Public Diplomacy Campaign Continues 
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2. Consul appeared with Vaidotas Verba, Director of the 
MFA's Consular Department, on national radio on July 14 to 
discuss the Visa Waiver Roadmap as part of our joint Public 
Diplomacy campaign.  Working in tandem, we emphasized that 
accession to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) would be a long- 
term process.  We reviewed the requirements for joining the 
VWP and explained that visa waiver did not mean 
unrestricted visa-free travel.  We, along with Verba, also 
emphasized that Lithuanians need to use their U.S. visas 
properly before there is any possibility of qualifying for 
the VWP. 
 
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GOL Briefs on Lithuanian Document Fraud 
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3. Experts from the Lithuanian Forensic Document Center and 
the Consular Department hosted our consular officers, fraud 
investigators, and data-entry FSNs for a thorough fraud 
briefing on July 20.  These officials briefed us in detail 
on the latest trends in Lithuanian passport fraud, 
including the various methods used by local passport 
forgers.  We were particularly interested in how to detect 
photo substituted new Lithuanian passports and will share 
their detection techniques via septel.  In addition to 
significantly increasing our abilities to detect Lithuanian 
passport fraud, the briefing showed us the GOL's 
determination -- and ability -- to safeguard the security 
of Lithuanian travel documents, another roadmap element. 
 
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MFA Reps Observe Visa Operations 
-------------------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) We opened the consular section to the Lithuanian 
members of the CWG on July 21, giving them the opportunity 
to see first-hand how visas are processed in Vilnius. 
After briefing the CWG on how applicants are processed, we 
demonstrated the various tools we use to investigate visa 
fraud, including the resources available to us through the 
various consular databases.  To help illustrate the extent 
of the information available to us, we pulled up the visa 
history of one CWG member who had obtained visas at a 
number of different overseas posts.  The Lithuanian 
officials also had an opportunity to learn about the types 
of applicants we see and the information they provide.  The 
Lithuanian officials were appreciative of the opportunity 
to see our operations first hand and learn about U.S. 
border security measures, from which they intended to draw 
to improve their own operations. 
 
5. (SBU) The CWG members also had an opportunity to observe 
routine visa interviews during the day and responded that 
they were impressed by the professional manner in which we 
conducted the interviews.  They were very grateful for the 
opportunity and said that they came away with a much better 
understanding of why some Lithuanians do not qualify for 
U.S. visas.  Verba noted that the experience will help the 
MFA reps in responding to visa complaints they receive, as 
they now have "seen for themselves" how the visa 
application process works. 
 
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Comment: Tangible Benefits 
-------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) These recent joint endeavors are evidence of the 
effectiveness of our working-level CWG and, we believe, 
only the first success of many such collaborations yet to 
come.  While both sides recognize that visa waiver is still 
far in the future, the roadmap framework allows us a unique 
opportunity to engage our Lithuanian consular officials on 
a number of different issues. 
 
KELLY