Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DUBLIN489
2005-04-26 06:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

IRISH RESPONSE TO PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE

Tags:  PREL KPAL EUN 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000489 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAL EUN
SUBJECT: IRISH RESPONSE TO PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE

REF: A. STATE 72185

B. DALY-O'MALLEY E-MAIL OF APRIL 12

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000489

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAL EUN
SUBJECT: IRISH RESPONSE TO PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE

REF: A. STATE 72185

B. DALY-O'MALLEY E-MAIL OF APRIL 12

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


1. (C) On April 22, Post delivered ref A talking points to
Gerard Keown, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) EU
Correspondent. In his responses, Keown focused primarily on
Sudan and the Middle East Peace Process. He noted that
Minister of State for Overseas Development, Conor Lenihan,
had held "difficult" meetings in Khartoum prior to the Oslo
Donors Conference, with the Sudanese Government dismissing
his interventions about attacks on humanitarian personnel.
Regarding the Middle East, Keown conveyed Irish Government
concerns about a loss of momentum since the Sharm al-Sheik
summit and the possibility that Israeli delays on Gaza
disengagement and prisoner releases would undermine support
for President Abbas.

Iraq
--------------


2. (U) Ireland and the EU look forward to the Iraq
conference as a way to reenergize reconstruction and the
political transition, said Keown. He described Kurdish and
Shiite openness to Sunni participation in the Iraqi
Transitional Government (ITG) at senior levels as an
encouraging sign. Another welcome development was the
willingness of outgoing Prime Minister Allawi's Iraqi
National Accord party to join the cabinet of interim Prime
Minister al-Jafari. Keown observed that the formation of the
functional equivalent of a government of national unity would
be critical as Iraqis began to draft a new constitution and
to prepare for the planned December elections. He added that
the EU would press ahead with assistance to the ITG,
including police training and rule-of-law programs.

MEPP
--------------


3. (C) Regarding the Middle East, Ireland and other Member
States were worried by a seeming loss of momentum since the
Sharm al-Sheik summit, reflected in delays with prisoner
releases and Israeli withdrawals from West Bank towns, said
Keown. He noted Ireland's concern that the Gaza withdrawal
might prompt population transfers to the West Bank, which
would be illegal under international law. Ireland and the EU
therefore welcomed President Bush's recent firm statements to
Prime Minister Sharon about the expansion of West Bank
settlements. Ireland was also concerned that a

soon-to-be-announced three-week delay in the Gaza withdrawal
might turn into a rolling delay. Keown explained that the
Irish Government recognized the internal political
difficulties facing Sharon as he attempted to carry through
on Gaza disengagement. By the same token, Israeli delays on
Gaza and on other fronts might threaten to undermine support
for President Abbas, who would soon face Palestinian
parliamentary elections. Keown said that Ireland agreed with
the U.S. point that Abbas should respond to Sharon's offer to
coordinate on security arrangements, settlement assets, and
economic/humanitarian issues relating to disengagement.

Lebanon
--------------


4. (U) Like the United States, Ireland and the Member States
were pleased with Prime Minister-designate Mikati's efforts
to form a new Cabinet, pass an electoral law, and prepare for
May elections, noted Keown. Ireland also recognized the
importance of full Syrian compliance with UNSCR 1559 as well
as the challenges involved in verifying the full withdrawal
of Syrian intelligence assets. Keown said that the EU
planned an observer mission for the elections and that
polling, to be free and fair, would require an adequate
security environment. He related the Irish Government's hope
that the Lebanese people would continue to show the restraint
that they had demonstrated since the assassination of former
Prime Minister Hariri.


5. (U) Keown said that the Irish Government had neither
requested nor received a briefing on the situation in Lebanon
by Peter Fitzgerald, the Deputy Irish Police Commissioner who
headed the UN probe into the Hariri assassination. Keown
explained that the Government had approved Fitzgerald's
participation in the probe on the understanding that he would
report his findings exclusively to the UN. The Government
continued to respect that understanding, remarked Keown.

Sudan
--------------


6. (U) Member States, including Ireland, welcomed UNSC
resolutions 1590, 1591, and 1593 as an admirable example of
U.S.-EU cooperation, according to Keown. EU governments were
also pleased with the April 11-12 Oslo Donors Conference on
Sudan, which raised USD 4.5 billion, roughly twice the UN
goal. Keown noted that Minister of State for Overseas
Development and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan, had participated
in the conference after having held "difficult" meetings the
previous week in Khartoum with the Sudanese Government.
Lenihan urged the GOS several times to rein in military
activity and Arab militias in Darfur and to halt attacks on
humanitarian personnel, but his interlocutors dismissed these
interventions, blaming the current situation on rebel groups.
Keown pointed out that Ireland had contributed euro 6
million toward Sudan in 2004 and would continue to support an
expanded AMIS. The Irish Government was also considering a
UN request to provide troops for the proposed peacekeeping
force in southern Sudan, though Defense Minister Willie O'Dea
had not yet made a decision. (Per ref B, it will likely be
several weeks before Ireland responds to the UN request.
Moreover, Irish support, if any, would probably be minimal,
since Ireland is already near its self-imposed cap of 850
troops that can be deployed overseas.)
Zimbabwe
--------------


7. (U) Keown said that the U.S. point about standing with
the Zimbabwean people by providing humanitarian food aid,
HIV/AIDS assistance, and support for civil society was "more
critical than ever." He noted the importance of
distinguishing between such assistance and acts that might
legitimize Mugabe and ZANU-PF. He added that EU sanctions
against Zimbabwe's ruling elites would remain in place and
that Member States would not review the sanctions policy
absent significant, positive changes by the Mugabe government.

Great Lakes
--------------


8. (U) African leadership and international assistance have
been effective in advancing the transition process in the
Congo, said Keown. The tri-partite meetings had shown
positive results, and the recent statement by the Democratic
Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) denouncing arms and
genocide was an encouraging development. Keown noted that
the Irish Government was closely monitoring the tri-partite
meetings, having given financial assistance to the process.
He added that Ireland did not underestimate the challenges
involved in the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation,
and reintegration of fighters. The Irish Government believed
that international assistance should focus on providing
livelihoods to demobilized fighters in order to diminish the
attraction of wages offered by warlords/rebel groups. Keown
observed that it was regrettable that elections would not be
held in June in accord with the Sun City agreement, as there
was yet no electoral law. Ireland, he added, supported the
U.S.-EU push for elections as soon as possible before year's
end.
KENNY