US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS1243

Disclaimer: This site has been first put up 15 years ago. Since then I would probably do a couple things differently, but because I've noticed this site had been linked from news outlets, PhD theses and peer rewieved papers and because I really hate the concept of "digital dark age" I've decided to put it back up. There's no chance it can produce any harm now.

Identifier:	05VILNIUS1243
Wikileaks:	View 05VILNIUS1243 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Vilnius
Created:	2005-11-25 13:52:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	PGOV PHUM PINR PREL RS LH HT12 HT1
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L VILNIUS 001243 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB AND EUR/RUS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PREL, RS, LH, HT12, HT1 
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA WILLING TO RAISE NGO LAW WITH RUSSIA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 212899 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Officer Gregory L. Bernsteen for reasons 1.4(b) 
 and (d) 
 
1. (C) We delivered reftel points regarding Russia's proposed 
new NGO law to Arunas Vinciunas, head of the MFA's Russia 
Division, on November 25.  Vinciunas told us that the GOL 
shares our concerns regarding potential constraints on NGO 
activities.  He noted that the GOL Ambassador in Moscow 
recently joined with other EU Ambassadors to send a letter to 
Foreign Minister Lavrov on this subject.  Vinciunas agreed 
with our point that discussing with Russia the principles 
behind Lithuania's laws regulating NGOs could be useful.  He 
said that he would add talking points on the proposed NGO law 
to those being prepared for MFA Undersecretary Albinas 
Januska's (as yet unannounced) trip to Moscow next week. 
 
2. (SBU) We will also circulate reftel points to members of 
Parliament who follow issues related to Russia and will 
report any responses we receive. 
KELLY