THE AMBASSADOR'S DECEMBER 22 DISCUSSION WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUBLIN 001841

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2014
TAGS: PREL EAIR CPAS CVIS MASS PINR PINS EAID PGOB
SUBJECT: THE AMBASSADOR'S DECEMBER 22 DISCUSSION WITH
FOREIGN MINISTER AHERN

REF: DUBLIN 1811

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a free-flowing December 22 meeting, the
Ambassador and Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern agreed
that President Bush's planned February visit to Europe
presented an opportunity to reenergize trans-Atlantic ties.
Ahern noted a "huge willingness" among his counterparts
within the EU to repair relations. Ahern said that there had
been no recent movement on Northern Ireland, with the parties
preparing to resume talks after the holidays. He also
cautioned that any substantiated link between the IRA and the
December 21 Belfast bank robbery would have a "very grave"
effect on peace efforts. The Ambassador commended Ireland
for recent anti-terrorism legislation, and Ahern cited GOI
efforts to monitor the Embassy's security. He added that
information explaining USG policy on terrorism, Iraq, and
Afghanistan would help the GOI to address unfavorable Irish
public perceptions of the United States. The Ambassador and
Ahern also agreed on the importance of bilateral cooperation
on problems concerning Irish citizens in the United States
without proper documentation. End summary.



2. (U) On December 22, the Ambassador, DCM, and econoff met
with Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern, Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary General Dermot Gallagher, and
DFA Political Division Director David Cooney. The extremely
cordial 90-minute meeting was the Ambassador's first official
call on the Foreign Minister since Ahern had taken his post
in a September 29 Cabinet reshuffle. The discussion focused
primarily on U.S.-EU relations, Northern Ireland, terrorism,
and bilateral cooperation on travel/visa issues.

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U.S.-EU Relations: Willingness to Repair
--------------


3. (C) Ahern observed that there was a "huge willingness"
within the EU to repair trans-Atlantic ties, and he agreed
with the Ambassador that President Bush's planned February
visit to Europe would be a key event for U.S.-EU relations.
Ahern noted that U.S.-EU coordination on the Ukraine had been
instrumental in securing an election rerun and that
Washington and Brussels could also cooperate to good effect
in the Middle East. Ahern thought it would be helpful to
meet with Secretary-designate Rice in February ahead of the
President's visit to Europe, and the Ambassador suggested
that St. Patrick's Day might offer a better opportunity for a
meeting. Ahern observed that President Bush would be
visiting a Europe poised for significant changes, with the
December 16-17 European Council decision to begin accession
negotiations for Turkey. He recounted that Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan had angered EU Member State counterparts
with a champagne toast at the Council meeting's conclusion
that underscored Turkey's unwillingness to recognize Cyprus.
As a champion for Turkey during the Irish presidency, Prime
Minister Bertie Ahern had taken particular offense at the
remarks.

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Northern Ireland: All Quiet
--------------


4. (C) There had been no movement on Northern Ireland since
the visit of Special Envoy Reiss the week of December 13,
with parties recessing until the week of January 3, said
Ahern. During Christmas week, the GOI had had contact with
DUP leader Rev. Paisley, who had reiterated that republican
acts of decommissioning without photographic evidence would
have severe consequences for negotiations. Ahern noted that
although Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams had told the GOI on
December 22 that photos were a non-starter, Martin McGuinness
had earlier indicated some flexibility, provided the photos
were not published. Ahern added that, during the December
16-17 EU Council meeting, Prime Minister Ahern and Tony Blair
had agreed on the need to continue intensive mediation
efforts. FM Ahern said that he was pressing Brussels to
maintain EU contributions to the International Fund for
Ireland (IFI),and he expressed thanks for U.S. IFI
allocations, which had benefited the Louth border
constituency that he represents in Parliament. He added that
the GOI had not received information from Northern Ireland
police on the December 21 euro 30 million bank robbery in
Belfast. He cautioned, however, that any substantiated link
to the IRA would have a "very grave" effect on peace efforts
because of what it would say about the IRA's commitment to
give up paramilitary and criminal activity.

--------------
Irish Steps on Terrorism
--------------

5. (C) The Ambassador expressed appreciation for Ireland's
Criminal Justice Act, which had passed the lower house of
Parliament on December 14 and would, when enacted in 2005,
strengthen the GOI's ability to address potential terrorist
threats (reftel). The Ambassador also highlighted the attack
on the U.S. Consulate in Jedda, other potential threats to
U.S. interests in Ireland, and continuing concerns about the
Embassy's security, particularly the need for enhanced
perimeter protection. Ahern responded that the national
police (Garda) monitored the Embassy's security closely. He
added that the GOI watches suspected extremists very closely
and is looking for ways to deport a Palestinian who had been
worrisome in that regard. (The person is one of two who had
come to Ireland after having been among the roughly 120
Palestinians involved in the Church of Nativity stand-off in
Bethlehem in 2002.) Reiterating Ireland's willingness to
allow U.S. military transits at Shannon, Ahern asked for more
Embassy information regarding the war on terror, as well as
Iraq and Afghanistan, to help the GOI counter negative Irish
public opinion about the United States. DFA David Cooney
recommended that the USG more widely publicize the fact that
Guantanamo prisoners were availing themselves of the U.S.
justice system to protect their rights.

--------------
Travel/Visa Issues
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador highlighted the importance of
bilateral cooperation on travel/visa issues, noting that the
Whelan cousins (two Irish citizens who had received media
attention here for being jailed in the United States after
overstaying J visas) would return to Ireland on Christmas
eve. Ahern expressed hope that such cooperation could extend
to undocumented Irish illegals in the United States, many of
whom he had met on U.S. trips during his tenure as Minister
for Community, Family, and Social Affairs. The Ambassador
said that immigration legislation introduced by President
Bush in 2004 and due for Congressional action in 2005 might
offer at least partial solutions. He also underscored the
pressure that many U.S. states faced with illegal
immigration, particularly in the southwest. On other travel
issues, Ahern remarked that Ireland had recently opened a
state-of-the-art passport production facility that would make
Irish passports among the most secure in the world. He added
that the GOI would begin a pilot project this year to put
biometric chips in passports, but he cautioned that Ireland
might not be ready by October 2005 to include biometric
features in all new passports, in accord with U.S.
requirements.

--------------
Miscellany
--------------


7. (C) The Ambassador and Ahern also touched on the
following issues:

-- Open Skies. Ahern cited the GOI's impression that U.S.-EU
air transportation negotiations would take much longer than
expected to produce an agreement. Ireland thus wished to
explore opportunities for liberalization at the bilateral
level.

-- Afghanistan. DFA was reviewing with the Irish Department
of Defense the USG request for Ireland to provide Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training for Afghan troops. (DCM
provided FM Ahern a paper prepared by Embassy DAO outlining
the benefits of such a program.)

-- Iraq. Ahern expressed condolences for those killed and
injured in the December 21 attack on the U.S. military mess
hall in Mosul. He noted that several Arab countries had
sounded out Ireland on the option of delaying the scheduled
January 30 elections. Ireland had rebuffed these suggestions
in the belief that it would be better to hold elections
sooner rather than later, even with the expected escalation
of insurgent violence.

-- Colombia Three. Ahern said that he would not raise with
the Ambassador the case of the Colombia Three (alleged IRA
members who remain in hiding after a Colombian appeal panel
gave the men 17-year prison sentences for allegedly training
the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)). Ahern
noted his personal hope, however, that the case would remind
Irish citizens, as well as Irish Americans, of the IRA's
dangerous history. The Ambassador warned of the serious
repercussions for U.S.-Irish relations if terrorist acts by
the FARC against U.S. interests were to be tied back to
training provided by the Colombia Three.


8. (U) Ambassador Kenny was unable to clear this cable prior
to his departure from Post.
BENTON