IRELAND STILL IN STEP WITH THE UNITED STATES ON

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000156 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM KNNP PREL IR EU AORC EI SUBJECT: IRELAND STILL IN STEP WITH THE UNITED STATES ON IRAN REF: A. STATE 19516 ¶B. STATE 16171 ¶C. DUBLIN 54 (SBU) Ireland remains in agreement with U.S. positions on the Iranian nuclear issue, according to Therese Healy, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) First Secretary for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, to whom Post delivered ref A and B demarches on February 1 and 10, respectively. Reiterating comments in ref C, Healy said that Ireland fully supported the IAEA's referral of Iran to the UNSC, a move that, she believed, would reinforce the IAEA's credibility and authority. She conveyed the GOI's hope that P-5 Members would maintain a consensus approach, and she noted the GOI's interest in the scheduled February 16 talks between Russia and Iran on alternative arrangements for uranium enrichment. She observed, however, that the DFA had received reporting through EU channels that Russia was pessimistic about the talks' chances of success. Healy added that the DFA looked forward to further communication with the USG as the March 6 meeting of the IAEA Board approached. BENTON