IRELAND SUPPORTS LTTE DESIGNATION, BUT DOUBTFUL ON

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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit Dublin's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gQeur/dublin/index.cfm BENTON