IRELAND TO EXTEND ISAF MISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000852 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2006 TAGS: MASS MARR PREL UN SUBJECT: IRELAND TO EXTEND ISAF MISSION REF: DUBLIN 381 Classified By: DCM Jane B. Fort, reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (SBU) POLOFF was informed today by Irish DFA UN Division Chief John Deady that the Irish Government had taken a decision "at the highest political level" to extend their peacekeepers to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The troops had been scheduled to withdraw this summer, and will now stay on for another twelve months. ¶2. (C) This decision follows weeks of embassy outreach to the GOI to urge them to remain in the mission. Our initial soundings (reftel and previous) indicated that the Irish Defense Forces were balking at stretching personnel and resources to remain a part of the ISAF mission. We are extremely pleased that our continued engagement at the political level resulted in this decision to push back on the military's reluctance, and to reaffirm the Irish commitment to global counterterrorism -- particularly as they prepare to host the U.S.-EU Summit on June 26. ¶3. (U) Kabul minimize considered. FORT