IRELAND LIKELY TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF CONDEMNATION OF

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000827

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

IO/UNP FOR JOHN MARIZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EI ETRD PHUM UNGA
SUBJECT: IRELAND LIKELY TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF CONDEMNATION OF
CUBA EMBARGO

REF: STATE 148506


1. (SBU) POLOFFS DELIVERED REFTEL ON OCTOBER 26, 2007 URGING
A VOTE AGAINST THE CUBAN UNGA RESOLUTION ON THE U.S. EMBARGO
TO GAVAN O'LEARY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT, IRISH
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA). O'LEARY RESPONDED THAT
IRELAND'S DEFAULT POSITION FOR THIS ISSUE WOULD BE HOW DUBLIN
VOTED THE LAST TIME - IN 2006, IRELAND VOTED IN FAVOR OF
CONDEMNING THE EMBARGO.


2. (SBU) REGARDING THE RECENT POTUS STATEMENT ON CUBA,
O'LEARY SAID IRELAND AND THE EU TOOK A DIFFERENT APPROACH
FROM THE U.S., BUT SHARED THE LONG-TERM DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS GOALS, ADDING THAT IRELAND WOULD CONSIDER THE
STATEMENT AND WAS AWARE OF THE SENSITIVITIES OF THE ISSUE.


3. (SBU) COMMENT: IN 2006, ALL EU COUNTRIES VOTED IN FAVOR OF
ENDING THE EMBARGO. IRELAND WILL FOLLOW EU CONSENSUS AND IS
UNLIKELY TO BREAK WITH ITS EU PARTNERS ON THIS ISSUE.
PIERCE