GAERC: IRELAND STILL AVERSE TO BELARUS SANCTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000374

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER OPRC EUN ECON ETRD SOCI EI
SUBJECT: GAERC: IRELAND STILL AVERSE TO BELARUS SANCTIONS
AND BILATERAL APPROACH TO IRAN

REF: A. STATE 53022


B. STATE 54484

C. STATE 54506

D. DUBLIN 362

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Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mary E. Daly; Reasons 1.4 (
B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: On April 6, Post delivered reftels' demarche
points to Jim Kelly, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) EU
Correspondent. Kelly noted Ireland's support for the April
10 GAERC's likely approval of an expanded visa ban against
Belarusian officials culpable in the fraudulent March 19
elections, including Lukashenka. He observed that Ireland
was not prepared to approach Iran bilaterally on the nuclear
issue, as the GOI was satisfied with the EU-3's diplomacy on
behalf of Member States. Kelly also cited the GOI's interest
in broadening EU dialogue with Iran to include discussion on
human rights, which would cover infringements on the practice
of the Baha'i faith. Regarding EU discussion on aid to
Palestine, the GOI saw the need for technical consultations
on possibilities for aid disbursements that would prevent
human suffering while bypassing the Palestinian Authority
government. In reply to USG points on the UN rapporteurs
report on Guantanamo, Kelly reiterated Foreign Minister
Ahern's view that the detainees should be released or charged
and that the USG should close the facility. End summary.

Belarus
--------------


2. (C) Ireland supports the April 10 GAERC's plans to
approve an expanded visa ban against Belarusian officials who
were culpable in the fraudulent March 19 elections, including
Lukashenka, said Kelly. He noted that GAERC ministers likely
would not have serious discussion on financial sanctions
against Belarus, and he added that EU Member States remained
divided on this option. The Irish Government believed that
financial sanctions now would be ill-timed, given the urgency
of strengthening Belarusian civil society and the risk that
sanctions would hurt the Belarusian people.

Iran
--------------


3. (C) Kelly said that the GAERC conclusions would strongly
support the March 29 UNSC Presidential Statement on Iran and
would call on Tehran to desist enrichment activities, return
to negotiations, and comply with its international
obligations. The GAERC discussions, he added, would focus on
the need for the EU to be ready if, in four-six weeks, Iran
had not yet fallen in line with UNSC requirements. He
observed that Ireland was not prepared to approach Iran
bilaterally at this point, as the Irish Government was
satisfied with the EU-3's diplomacy on behalf of Member
States. He also cautioned against overestimating Ireland's
leverage with Iran, especially as the Iranian mission in
Dublin had been without an ambassador since 2005. (Comment:
Notwithstanding Kelly's comments, Ireland has an Embassy in
Tehran and would be able to make a bilateral approach if the
GOI wanted. The newly nominated Irish Ambassador to Iran,
John Deady, currently DFA Director for UN Affairs, is due in
Tehran in August.)


4. (C) In reply to ref B points, Kelly said that Member
States hope to broaden dialogue with Iran to include
discussion on human rights, which would cover infringements
on the practice of the Baha'i faith. He noted that groups of
Ireland-based Iranian Baha'i had visited the DFA several
times over the past year to discuss the Iranian Government's
repressive treatment of their community and other religious
minorities. The DFA had reassured the groups of the GOI's
support for their case. Kelly said that the GAERC
conclusions would urge Iranian authorities to protect Baha'i
religious rights, but that the GOI would not issue a separate
statement on the issue.

Middle East Peace Process
--------------


5. (C) The April 10 GAERC would not likely reach decisions
on whether the EU should provide aid to the Palestinian
Authority government, but would make clear that Hamas,
failure to accept the three principles would have
implications for aid, said Kelly. GAERC ministers, he
observed, were focused on ways to avoid triggering a
humanitarian crisis in the absence of aid. This issue would
require technical discussions on possibilities for aid
disbursements that would prevent human suffering while

DUBLIN 00000374 002.2 OF 002


bypassing the PA government. He added that the DFA remained
in regular contact with the PA Delegate General in Ireland,
Dr. Hikmat Ajjuri, whose appointment in October 2005
pre-dated the Palestinian elections. (Comment: On April 7,
Paul Gunning, DFA First Secretary for the Middle East, told
Emboff that Ajjuri was virulently anti-Hamas and dismissive
of PA Foreign Minister Al-Zahar. Gunning added, however,
that there was no indication that Ajjuri would be replaced.)

Balkans
--------------


6. (C) Kelly said that the Balkans would not be on the April
10 GAERC agenda, having been heavily covered at the Gymnich
several weeks ago. He mentioned, however, that the third
round of Kosovo negotiations in Vienna on April 3 had not
produced any significant progress, according to briefings
given to Member States.


Ukraine
--------------


7. (C) The GAERC would issue positive conclusions on the
conduct of Ukraine's March 26 parliamentary and local
elections, which were in line with international norms, said
Kelly. He observed that the Irish Government shared the
USG's hope that reformist factions would lead in the
coalition Ukrainian government to be formed. In any event,
the EU was prepared to recognize and work with whatever
government emerged.

Guantanamo
--------------


8. (C) In reply to ref C points on the UN rapporteurs report
on Guantanamo, Kelly said that the Irish Government and the
USG had a straightforward difference of opinion on U.S.
detention practices, which Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and
Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern had noted during St. Patrick's
Day discussions in Washington. Kelly cited Foreign Minister
Ahern's April 4 comments to the Irish Parliament endorsing
UNSYG Annan's view that those held in Guantanamo should
either be charged or released and that the USG should close
the facility. Kelly also committed to pass ref C points to
DFA's human rights office, while noting that the terms of
access offered to the UN rapporteurs may have been a factor
in their decision not to visit Guantanamo. (Comment: Per ref
D, Amnesty International held a public program on April 5 at
the Dublin Film Institute for Shafiq Rasul and Rhuhel Ahmad,
who were arrested in Afghanistan in 2001 and held for two
years in Guantanamo. The event, which made front-page news,
featured a showing of "The Road to Guantanamo," a film about
their story, which also recently aired on Irish television.)
KENNY