US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS857

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 000857 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2015 
TAGS: PREL, EU, TU, LH, HT9 
SUBJECT: GOL CONTINUES TO SUPPORT TURKEY'S EU BID 
 
REF: SECSTATE 150087 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Alexander Titolo for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Vidmantas Purlys, Head of the MFA's EU Sector 
Policies Coordination Division, told us August 18 that the 
GOL shares USG concerns about adding conditions to the 
negotiating framework ahead of the planned October 3 start of 
EU accession talks with Turkey.  Purlys said that while the 
GOL is sensitive to the delicate political situation in other 
EU states regarding Turkey's membership, it believes that the 
EU should uphold the commitment it made to open talks.  He 
stated that in the GOL's view, Turkey has complied with the 
conditions necessary to begin accession discussions and that 
it would be unfair to change the rules at this point.  Purlys 
added, however, that Turkey's membership in the EU is not a 
certainty; it is possible that the negotiations might fail. 
Purlys pointed out that most Lithuanians are ambivalent on 
this issue, but those who do have an opinion are more likely 
to oppose Turkey's membership than to support it. 
 
2.  (C) COMMENT: The GOL supports expansion of the EU as a 
means of ensuring security and democracy in the region. 
Lithuania will support Turkey's EU accession process, 
provided that the Government of Turkey presses ahead with the 
necessary reforms.  However, the membership of nearer 
neighbors is more important to Lithuania's long-term 
interests. 
Mull