Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DUBLIN168
2008-04-03 16:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

IRELAND: EU POLICY ON BELARUS

Tags:  PHUM PREL EU EI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2603
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHDL #0168 0941617
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 031617Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9021
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000168 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL EU EI
SUBJECT: IRELAND: EU POLICY ON BELARUS

REF: SECSTATE 30007

Classified By: POL/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000168

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL EU EI
SUBJECT: IRELAND: EU POLICY ON BELARUS

REF: SECSTATE 30007

Classified By: POL/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)


1. (C) Ireland agrees that strong U.S. - EU unity is needed
in order to keep the pressure on Belarus, and supported a
recent EU demarche to the Belarussian MFA highlighting the
EU's concerns over the demands made on the US mission in
Minsk, according to Deputy Director Ruaidhri Dowling, Russia,
Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk, Department of Foreign
Affairs, to whom POLOFF delivered reftel demarche on March

31. Despite some policies that deal with practical matters
such as shared borders, Dowling emphasized that the EU has
the same goals as the US: Belarus must free its political
prisoners and become a more democratic state.


2. (C) Until the violent crackdown of the demonstrators in
Minsk on March 25, Dowling said, the EU had believed that
Belarus was beginning to make good on its promise to release
political prisoners. However, he added, the new arrests of
demonstrators has only given the Belarussian government new
political prisoners to replace the old. In light of this
lack of progress, the EU intends to continue, and perhaps
expand, its visa ban on Belarussian officials, Dowling
stated. In addition, Ireland agrees that Belarus is in no
position to be considered for entry into the World Trade
Organization at this time, he concluded.
FOLEY