IRISH VIEWS ON MARCH 28-29 EU FOREIGN MINISTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000158 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EUN ZL IS SY LE RS CH EI SUBJECT: IRISH VIEWS ON MARCH 28-29 EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GYMNICH) REF: SECSTATE 30504 Classified By: POL/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche on March 27, 2008 to Claire Buckley, Deputy European Correspondent, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Irish troops are participating in the UNMIK in Kosovo and nine Irish police officers are part of the EU civilian force in Kosovo. Overall, Ireland is "rather pessimistic" about progress in the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP). Withdraw of Syrian involvement in Lebanon is key to furthering Syria's relations with Ireland. Ireland has raised their concerns over the violence in Tibet with the Chinese Embassy in Dublin, but feels that boycotting the Olympics would be ineffective. Ireland would like to see a unified EU energy policy for Russia, and finds Gazprom's negotiations with individual EU member states concerning. Western Balkans -------------- ¶2. (C) Ireland would like to see a united EU statement on Kosovo, Buckley said, but acknowledged that this is unlikely since several member states are not likely to recognize Kosovo. Specifically, she named Spain, Cyprus, and Greece. Ireland is keen to see peace in the region and contributed 272 troops to the UNMIK and 9 police officers to the EU civilian police force in Kosovo, she noted. Overall, a significant amount of EU focus will likely remain on the Western Balkans in the near future, Buckley added, a natural result of Slovenia taking over the EU presidency in January. Israeli-Palestinian Peace - Syria/Lebanon -------------- ¶3. (C) Ireland is "rather pessimistic" about the MEPP and the lack of process that has been make since Annapolis, Buckley said. As for Syrian involvement in Lebanon, Buckley noted that Ireland agrees that Syria needs to allow Lebanon to hold free elections without interference. Furthering Irish/Syrian relations is dependent on Syria's non-involvement with Lebanese elections, she concluded. China/Beijing Olympics -------------- ¶4. (C) Buckley told POLOFF that the DFA met with the Chinese Embassy in Dublin on March 17 to express Ireland's concerns over China's reactions to the protests in Tibet. She noted that Ireland's foreign policy in Asia focuses mainly on Burma and China, so the situation in Tibet is of great concern to the Irish. Ireland does not intend to boycott the Olympics in Beijing, Buckley added, stating that a boycott would be ineffective and that the Games were about the athletics and the competition, not about politics. EU-Russia Relations -------------- ¶5. (C) Ireland agrees that the EU should have a unified energy policy with regards to Russia and the Irish are concerned about the bi-lateral deals that Gazprom has made with some member states, Buckley said. However, there is a definite split in opinion between the newer Eastern European member states and the rest of the EU on this issue, she noted. FAUCHER