Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05HELSINKI202
2005-02-16 14:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:  

FINLAND'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON EU DESIGNATION

Tags:  PREL PTER ETTC EFIN XF LE FI EUN EU GAERC 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000202 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA, NEA/ELA, AND EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER ETTC EFIN XF LE FI EUN EU GAERC
SUBJECT: FINLAND'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON EU DESIGNATION
OF HIZBALLAH AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

REF: STATE 26062 [NOTAL]

Classified By: Ambassador Earle I. Mack for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000202

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA, NEA/ELA, AND EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER ETTC EFIN XF LE FI EUN EU GAERC
SUBJECT: FINLAND'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON EU DESIGNATION
OF HIZBALLAH AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

REF: STATE 26062 [NOTAL]

Classified By: Ambassador Earle I. Mack for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Embassy delivered reftel demarche February 14 to Jarno
Syrjala, MFA's "regional director" for Lebanon, Syria,
Israel, and the Palestinian Authority in its Middle East
Unit, and to Juha Rainne of the Unit for Public International
Law. On the same day, Ambassador met with Israel Ambassador
Tzur, who gave us a copy of the Israeli government's separate
demarche to EU countries with details on Hizballah's support
for Palestinian terrorist groups.


2. (C) In a follow-up conversation February 15, after the
death of former Lebanese PM Hariri, Syrjala told us that
Finland "is not keen" on designating Hizballah as a terrorist
organization at the February 16 Clearinghouse meeting, but
would not oppose it either. Syrjala said that if the issue
were only Hizballah's connection with Palestinian terrorists,
Finland would vote for designation, but the Finns are worried
about the effect such a step would have on Lebanese
parliamentary politics -- doubly so after the Hariri
assassination. They see Hizballah MPs as still having a role
to play in Lebanon's national reunification process, and
until it is clearer who was behind the assassination, the GoF
is feeling quite cautious about any new moves.


3. (C) Syrjala also commented on the information supplied by
the Israeli Government in its separate demarche, terming it
"less informative than articles in Ha'aretz." He said that a
"credible picture" is needed of the links between Hizballah
and the rejectionist groups if the U.S. and EU are to take
effective joint action.


4. (C) Syrjala said that the February 21 meeting of the EU's
General Affairs and External Relations Council probably will
release separate statements on the events in Lebanon and on
the Middle East peace process. A proposal for a single,
combined statement was vetoed at the February 15 PSC meeting,
since the EU does not want to imply that there is any
connection.
MACK