IRELAND NON-COMMITTAL ON UNFC AD HOC COMMITTEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 001234

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: AORC PARM PREL MUNC
SUBJECT: IRELAND NON-COMMITTAL ON UNFC AD HOC COMMITTEES
INITIATIVE

REF: STATE 185313

Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mary E. Daly; Reasons 1.4 (
B) and (D).

(C) On October 6, Post delivered reftel demarche to Therese
Healy, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) First Secretary
for Disarmament and Nonproliferation. Healy observed that
Ireland would discuss the planned resolution on Ad Hoc
Committees (AHCs) with proponent countries before taking a
position on the initiative. She noted that proponents
planned to brief country representatives on October 6 at 4:00
PM EST on the margins of the UN First (Disarmament) Committee
(UNFC) meetings. Ireland also recognized the potential
implications of the AHCs resolution for the Conference on
Disarmament (CD) and likewise intended to discuss the
initiative with CD members. Healy added that Adrian McDaid,
DFA Counselor for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, was
taking part in UNFC proceedings and would welcome the
opportunity to discuss the resolution with the U.S.
delegation. She commented that exchanges on the resolution
"would, at least, be healthy," given the dearth of ideas for
breaking the nine-year impasse in developing a program of
work for the CD. She added that Ireland was looking to the
UNFC for concrete measures on disarmament and
nonproliferation, especially since there had been no outcome
on these objectives at the NPT Review Conference and the UN
High-Level Event. She also pointed out that the UK was
currently demarching UNFC members in line with U.S.
opposition to the AHCs initiative.
KENNY