VISA WAIVER PROGRAM NEGOTIATIONS AND THE EU - THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000109 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR IVAN WEINSTEIN (EUR/PGI) AND PEGGY WALKER (EUR/ERA) DHS FOR MIKE SCARDAVILLE (OIA) AND MARC FREY (VWPO) E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2018 TAGS: CMGT CVIS EUN KJUS KPAO PGOV PREL PTER EI SUBJECT: VISA WAIVER PROGRAM NEGOTIATIONS AND THE EU - THE IRISH PERSPECTIVE REF: STATE 21769 Classified By: Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B ) and (D). ¶1. (U) On March 4, Cons Chief met with Irish Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Ray Bassett and Joe Hackett of SIPDIS the Irish Passport Office to deliver the demarche mentioned in reftel. Bassett was pleased to receive the information presented in the demarche and stated that he believed that the U.S.-Irish relationship with regard to visa-free travel was a strong one, and that he looked forward to working with us to keep it that way. ¶2. (C) Bassett stated that they have been following the MOU negotiations with the Czech Republic very closely. He said that they are in full sympathy with the Czech position and would oppose any sanctions by the EU against the Czech Republic for its signing of the MOU with the United States. He said while there were a few &Europeanist8 members of the government that wished Ireland would stand more united with the EU Commission in this regard, the bulk of the government, including the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Justice, is fully committed to the bilateral approach to working out a viable agreement with the United States on VWP travel requirements. ¶3. (C) At the same time, Bassett stated that Ireland does not want to openly break ranks with the EU on this issue but to quietly wait and see what develops within the EU as the new accession states work out their own agreements with the United States. Bassett implied that this breaking of ranks by those states with the most to gain from a new agreement with the United States will leave the EU Commission with a fait accompli that will give space to other countries to quietly work out their own arrangements with the United States. He said that Ireland would eventually like a full bilateral agreement that covers as many areas as possible where Ireland retains competency under EU rules. ¶4. (SBU) Bassett added that while they have no objection in principle to a united EU front in negotiations with the United States, they fully understand the bilateral nature of any future VWP agreement. In addition, they would oppose any united EU position that would limit any member state's currently existing rights. ¶5. (C) Incidentally, Bassett mentioned to Cons Chief that, only minutes before his arrival, he had received a communique from the EU asking member governments to refrain from meeting with their American counterparts on this issue prior to March 12th. Bassett took the view that it was too late to give that communication any consideration. ¶6. (U) Comment: With an estimated one in seven Irish citizens visiting the United States each year, Ireland is fully committed to maintaining its good VWP relationship with the U.S. and will do all it can legitimately do to strengthen and maintain that relationship as it has in the past. End comment. FOLEY