Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUBLIN275
2006-03-15 14:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

BELARUS: IRELAND SUPPORTS U.S.-EU COORDINATION,

Tags:  PREL KDEM PGOV EUN BO EI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9611
PP RUEHCD RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHSR
DE RUEHDL #0275 0741452
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 151452Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6638
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
RUCNOSC/OSCE POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY 0088
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA PRIORITY 0035
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0067
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0205
C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000275 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV EUN BO EI
SUBJECT: BELARUS: IRELAND SUPPORTS U.S.-EU COORDINATION,
BUT CAUTIONS ON FINANCIAL SANCTIONS

REF: STATE 38953

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000275

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV EUN BO EI
SUBJECT: BELARUS: IRELAND SUPPORTS U.S.-EU COORDINATION,
BUT CAUTIONS ON FINANCIAL SANCTIONS

REF: STATE 38953

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D).


1. (SBU) Ireland agrees strongly with U.S. points on the
continuing importance of U.S.-EU coordination in the run-up
to, and aftermath of, the March 19 presidential election in
Belarus, according to Ruadhri Dowling, Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA) First Secretary for Russia and Eastern Europe,
to whom emboff delivered reftel demarche on March 14.
Dowling cited EU statements highlighting the international
community's serious concerns about the Belarus government's
conduct in the pre-election period. He pointed out that
Ireland had earlier assigned one longer-term observer, a
university lecturer, to the ODIHR monitoring mission and
would send ten more observers for the election, including a
DFA official.


2. (C) In terms of possible U.S.-EU post-electoral responses
to the Belarusian Government's misconduct, Dowling noted
Irish support for the expansion of visa restrictions, an
option already under EU consideration. He cautioned,
however, that financial sanctions, such as freezing the
personal assets of Belarusian officials, would be more
problematic. He elaborated that such sanctions could not be
implemented quickly and, perhaps worse, might not be
effective. The unintended result, he added, would be to
diminish U.S. and EU prestige within Belarus. Dowling
concluded that the EU would nevertheless continue to examine
this option in coordination with the USG.
BENTON