Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DUBLIN1360
2005-11-04 15:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE: IRELAND UNEASY ON MACEDONIA,

Tags:  EAID PREL KPAL SY YI EAGR MK ETRD BO EI EUN 
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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).

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