PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE: IRELAND UNEASY ON MACEDONIA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001360 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: EAID PREL KPAL SY YI EAGR MK ETRD BO EI EUN SUBJECT: PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE: IRELAND UNEASY ON MACEDONIA, TOUGH ON BELARUS, STILL PUSHING ON MILLENNIUM SUMMIT REF: A. STATE 198361 ¶B. STATE 201513 ¶C. DUBLIN 1094 ¶D. STATE 199861 ¶E. DUBLIN 1322 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D). ¶1. (C) Summary: On November 3, Post delivered ref A and B demarches to Jim Kelly, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) EU correspondent. Kelly noted the EU's challenge in playing tough with Syria without derailing EuroMed diplomacy and the Barcelona Anniversary Summit. He said that Ireland was not sanguine about the Commission's upcoming report on Macedonia's EU candidacy, but would be willing to consider candidate status for Macedonia without starting negotiations. Kelly conveyed Ireland's support for a strong EU message to Belarus on human rights and democracy. He also related Ireland's hope that the EU and the United States could sustain momentum on UN reform issues discussed at the Millennium Summit, particularly the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council. End summary. Syria -------------- ¶2. (C) As with Burma and Zimbabwe, Syria presented the EU the challenge of playing tough with a pariah state without, at the same time, derailing a regional diplomatic process, explained Kelly. He recounted that the EU-Africa Summit process had stalled over Zimbabwe, with EU leaders unable to dictate to African leaders whether President Mugabe could participate. Kelly conveyed his impression that the UK presidency shared the USG's serious concerns about Syria, but did not wish to wreck the Barcelona Summit, given the importance of EuroMed diplomacy. He observed that Ireland had not taken a position on whether Syria should participate, as there had been no EU-level discussions on the point. The question of inviting Damascus, he added, rested primarily with the UK and Spain. Kelly noted, however, that the November 7 GAERC would likely approve hard-line conclusions expressing concerns about the Mehlis Report findings and calling on Syria to implement UNSC Resolutions 1559 and 1636. Kosovo -------------- ¶3. (C) Ireland expects that Kosovo will predominate among EU Common Foreign and Security Policy issues leading into 2006, said Kelly. He noted that the November 7 GAERC lunch discussion would focus on Kosovo and include a briefing from new UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari on the state of play. The lunch would also be the first opportunity to discuss UN Envoy Eide's early October report to the UN assessing Kosovo Standards Implementation. Kelly observed that, like the United States, Ireland was more focused on the process, rather than the outcome, of the Final Status talks. He also expressed Ireland's hope that all sides would participate positively in the process and that the EU as a whole would play a robust role. Macedonia -------------- ¶4. (C) On Macedonia, Kelly referred Emboff to Robin Henry, DFA Political Division Deputy Director for Europe, who said that Ireland was not sanguine about the Commission's upcoming report on Macedonia's EU candidacy. Ireland expected the report to underscore that Macedonia still had far to go on reforms and that the Macedonian Government lacked control over the entirety of the country's territory. At the same time, Ireland and other Member States recognized the imperative of encouraging Macedonia's reform process. Henry commented that there was a precedent for giving countries candidate status without setting a start date for negotiations. He added that Ireland would be willing to consider that option if other Member States were also amenable. ICTY -------------- ¶5. (C) Ireland fully concurs with U.S. points on ICTY, said Kelly. He noted that the GOI welcomed the start of accession negotiations with Croatia, which had been made possible by Chief Prosecutor del Ponte's confirmation that the Croatian Government was cooperating with ICTY. He added that Ireland and other Member States would continue to monitor Croatia's cooperation throughout the course of the negotiations. Belarus -------------- ¶6. (C) Kelly related Ireland's strong views on the need to send Lukashenko a stern message on human rights and democracy, and he acknowledged that EU strategy on Belarus to date had not shown results. While discussion on Belarus at the November 7 GAERC would likely be a stock-taking exercise, Ireland supported the UK presidency's intention to initiate a debate on next steps, particularly with the 2006 elections looming. MEPP -------------- ¶7. (C) Ireland shares U.S. views on the importance of reenergizing progress along the Roadmap and opposing unilateral measures that might prejudice final status issues for Jerusalem, said Kelly. He observed that it was unusual for the November 7 meeting agenda to have allotted only several minutes to the Middle East, as the topic is usually a marquis item. He added that the GAERC conclusions would not only echo U.S. points calling on both sides to meet their Roadmap obligations, but would also cite the urgency of sustaining good will created by the Gaza withdrawal. Kelly noted that failure to take additional steps along the Roadmap in the near term would risk the erosion of good will. UN Millennium Development Summit -------------- ¶8. (C) Kelly said that Ireland fully supported Sweden's push to put the Millennium Development Summit on the GAERC agenda, since it would send a clear signal on the need for follow-up to the Summit. He recounted that the Summit had been an Irish preoccupation, given Irish Foreign Minister Ahern's status as one of UNSYG Annan's regional envoys for UN reform. According to Kelly, Ireland feared that momentum on high-profile Summit topics, such as the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Right Council, would dissipate quickly as countries began to waver or advocate a longer-term approach to reform. Ireland therefore looked forward to active, cooperative engagement between the EU and United States on carrying through the Summit's aspirations to implementation. Avian Flu -------------- ¶9. (C) Ireland strongly concurred with demarche points on the importance of increased surveillance and international coordination regarding avian flu, observed Kelly. He noted that the DFA was aware of links established by Post with the Irish Department of Health and Children to ensure bilateral coordination in the event of an outbreak in Ireland (ref C). Doha Round -------------- ¶10. (C) Kelly explained that the DFA took its lead on the Doha negotiations from the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment (DETE) and the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAF),and he referred Post to those agencies. The DFA message on Doha, he noted nonetheless, was that Ireland "remained keen" to conclude a deal. (Post will discuss ref D demarche points with both Irish trade and agriculture officials on November 4. As reported ref E, Ireland has been among EU Member States that oppose further EU concessions on agricultural market access.) Iraq -------------- ¶11. (C) The November 7 GAERC would only allocate several minutes of discussion to Iraq, focusing on formal approval of conclusions reiterating the EU's commitment to reconstruction and echoing the October 25 EU statement that welcomed the October 15 referendum results, said Kelly. The UK presidency aimed to lead a fuller discussion on Iraq at the November 21 GAERC. Kelly noted that there had yet been no EU consultations on the possibility of contributing monitors for the December 15 election. He related Ireland's view that an EU observer mission would be problematic, given security concerns. BENTON