AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES CHINA ARMS EMBARGO, IRA WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000542 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREL PARM PHUM SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES CHINA ARMS EMBARGO, IRA WITH PRIME MINISTER AHERN Classified By: Ambassador James C. Kenny; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) Ambassador and DCM called on Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern May 5. They gave the Taoiseach photos from President Bush of the June 2004 EU Summit at Dromoland Castle and the March 2005 Shamrock ceremony in Washington. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador raised the China arms embargo, noting that lifting the embargo at this time would be a blow to efforts to improve human rights conditions there and would negatively affect security in East Asia. Ahern said that no one in the EU wanted to sell the Chinese more weapons and that the EU sought to achieve that goal by strengthening the "protocol" embodied in the Code of Conduct. The Ambassador noted that the amount of weapons in the recent past going to China from EU states is an indicator that a Code of Conduct will not necessarily restrict sales. Ahern responded that he thought action might not be taken in the near term by the EU, and said he clearly understood the depth of U.S. feeling on the subject, including on Capital Hill. ¶3. (C) The Taoiseach was aware of the possible transit of President Bush through Shannon airport on May 10. The Ambassador told him it was a technical stop only, and noted that the advance teams, in Shannon already to work on a contingency basis, were receiving good cooperation from local Irish authorities. The Taoiseach understood, and asked only to be notified if the situation changed. He expected to see the President in Moscow in any event. ¶4. (C) On Northern Ireland, the Taioseach said the Irish government did not expect to hear anything definitive from the IRA in response to Gerry Adams, call last month for unilateral IRA disarmament until results of the UK election sunk in. After the meeting, Ahern advisor Michael Collins told the Ambassador that, in fact, Irish government contacts with Sinn Fein had been sparse lately, and they have had no indications of upcoming movement by the IRA in response to Adams, call. In discussions with Embassy officials, Sinn Fein representatives have expressed their hope for a positive response from the IRA soon, but say they do not yet know when. They cite Gerry Adams' re-election in Westminster elections May 5 by an apparently increased percentage as a positive sign of republican support for his call on the IRA. KENNY