IRISH RESPONSE TO IMIE DEMARCHE: NO OBSERVERS

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000011 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PROP PREL PHUM SUBJECT: IRISH RESPONSE TO IMIE DEMARCHE: NO OBSERVERS PLANNED REF: STATE 274965 ¶1. On January 6, Post delivered reftel talking points to Stephen Dawson, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) First Secretary for Middle Eastern Affairs. Dawson said that the SIPDIS GOI did not plan to contribute observers or provide other forms of bilateral support to the International Mission for Iraq Elections (IMIE). He noted that the GOI currently did not have personnel on the ground in Iraq and therefore could not assess whether the conditions were right to send observers. He added, however, that Ireland had strongly supported EU funding and other forms of assistance for the elections and had also contributed euro 500,000 to the UN protection force in Iraq. BENTON