Williams wins Lithuania deal, U.S. investors lose.

U.S. group Williams may have won the drawn-out battle to buy Lithuanian oil concern Mazheikiu Nafta, but American investors have lost public support and will need to work hard to regain confidence. Last week, Williams completed nearly two years of talks with the purchase of a 33 percent stake and operational control in Mazheikiu, a combined refinery, pipeline and crude terminal. But in the time it took to negotiate the deal, the public turned overwhelmingly against the company, seen by many locals as a cut-throat American firm that has taken advantage of the Baltic nation. Analysts and investors fear the chill in relations could harm future U.S. investment. After 50 years of domination from Moscow, and with large neighbour Poland to the west, investors say the tiny nation is often wary or even distrustful of outside involvement. President Valdas Adamkus, a former American citizen, said he was disturbed by the ``anti-Western hysteria fuelled by opposition parties,'' but told Williams to take stock as well.