IRAQ ELECTIONS: IRELAND LOOKS TO THE EU FOR A

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000088

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: IRAQ ELECTIONS: IRELAND LOOKS TO THE EU FOR A
STATEMENT

REF: A. STATE 6458

B. STATE 12757


1. (C) Further to reftels, EMBASSY Dublin is lobbying the
GOI aggressively to issue a statement in support of Iraq
elections. The Ambassador raised it with the Prime
Minister's office and with parliamentarians in the two
government parties. The DCM and POL/ECON chief have raised
it at senior levels of the DFA; the PAO is discussing with
government spokespersons; POL/ECON chief has written to the
chairman of the joint foreign affairs committee, providing
background information and encouraging a public statement.
Media outreach is also in progress, beginning with a January
19 background session among PAO, a POL officer who served
recently in Iraq, and a senior correspondent of a leading
daily.


2. (C) On January 21, Tony Mannix, Director of the DFA's
Middle East, Gulf and North Africa office, told DCM and
POL/ECON chief that the Irish would look to the EU to issue a
statement on behalf of all governments. We urged him to
issue an Irish statement as well, and will continue to press
the government in the days remaining.
KENNY