C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000500

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016
TAGS: EUN PGOV PREL CE EI
SUBJECT: IRELAND SUPPORTS LTTE DESIGNATION, BUT DOUBTFUL ON
CLEARINGHOUSE VOTE

REF: SECSTATE 66523

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Mary E. Daly, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On May 4 emboff delivered reftel points to Department
of Foreign Affairs Asia and Oceania Deputy Director James
McIntyre and UN/Terrorism and Illicit Drugs section First
Secretary Maurice Biggar. McIntyre said that Ireland shares

SIPDIS
USG concern over the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka and
condemned through an EU declaration the April 25 suicide
attack on the army headquarters in Colombo. Biggar and
McIntyre said that Ireland would likely vote to designate the
Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist
organization at the next EU Clearinghouse, but added that
several member states still feel that such a designation
would accomplish very little, and without assurances of
unanimity, the Clearinghouse chairman would unlikely call a
vote.


2. (C) McIntyre and Biggar relayed the following reasons
that, in their opinions, the Clearinghouse might not reach
voting unanimity on designating LTTE:
--The Norwegians are still optimistic that the Sri Lankan
peace process will succeed.
--If the Clearinghouse designates LTTE, it will eliminate the
bargaining chip that the EU currently holds as a Co-Chair in
the peace process.
--There is no known LTTE investment in EU member states;
therefore, an EU designation would cause no financial
difficulties for LTTE. In terms of the designation limiting
LTTE travel, McIntyre said that the EU made it known to LTTE
representatives in September that they were "not welcome" in
Europe.



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