IRISH DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS DISCUSSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000329 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM KNNP UNSC IAEA MARR MOPS PINR IR, IZ, LE, EI SUBJECT: IRISH DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS DISCUSSES IRAQ, IRAN, AND LEBANON REF: A. STATE 60393 ¶B. STATE 60125 ¶C. STATE 57726 ¶D. STATE 56560 ¶E. STATE 54639 ¶F. STATE 52061 ¶G. STATE 52030 ¶H. STATE 50592 ¶I. STATE 49259 ¶J. STATE 48615 Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) POLOFF reviewed affairs in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon on June 5, 2008 with Michael Gaffey, Director, Middle East and North Africa Division, Department of Foreign Affairs. Ireland is considering the invitation to the Friends of Iraq conference in Abu Dhabi and intends to continue providing significant humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. Ireland will align its national policy on sanctions against Iran with EU policy, which will be informed -- at least in the short-term -- by a planned mid-June visit to Iran by IAEA Director General ElBaradei. Ireland supports Arab League efforts to resolve the political crisis in Lebanon. While Ireland, as ever, is unwilling to get out in front of the EU on matters relating to the Middle East, once EU decisions are made we can expect Ireland to implement them expeditiously. End summary. -------------- Friends of Iraq -------------- ¶2. (C) Gaffey acknowledged receipt of the invitation to the Friends of Iraq Conference in Abu Dhabi, June 17-19 (Refs A, D and H). He indicated that Ireland was still considering whether to participate. Gaffey said that Irish officials at their embassies in Riyadh, Cairo, and Brussels were considering the invitation and would discuss it with the conference points of contact. ¶3. (U) POLOFF gave Gaffey the read-out on the Stockholm ICI Annual Review Conference (Ref B). Gaffey noted that Ireland was represented at the conference by its Ambassador to Sweden rather than a Minister because the Prime Minister had ordered all Ministers to stay home and campaign for the upcoming referendum on the EU Lisbon Treaty, scheduled for June 12. ¶4. (U) In discussing Irish Aid to Iraq, Gaffey reiterated Ireland's intention to assist where it feels it can make the greatest humanitarian impact, saying that Ireland is willing to increase the level of funding if the circumstances seem right. (Note: Ireland donated nearly five million euros (USD 7.8 million) to the Iraqi people in 2007. End note.) -------------- Iran -------------- ¶5. (C) Gaffey took on board U.S. views of the latest IAEA report on Iran (Ref C),commenting that the report was hard-hitting. POLOFF urged that Ireland speak out at the IAEA Board meeting and expressed U.S. disappointment at the slow pace of EU uptake on sanctions against Iran under UNSCR 1803 (Ref E). Gaffey responded, saying that intensive discussions were ongoing within the EU and that further actions by both the IAEA and the EU would be informed by a planned mid-June visit to Iran by IAEA Director General ElBaradei. (Gaffey noted that ElBaradei's trip, if it proceeds as planned, will precede the June GAERC meeting and could influence GAERC decisions.) Gaffey also stated that Ireland's 60-day report to the UNSC on UNSCR 1803 (Ref J) would have to await a consensus decision on a common course of action on Iran by the EU. ¶6. (C) On a related matter, Gaffey reported that Ireland had accepted a request from Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Medhi Safari to make an official visit to Ireland on June 26 for "bilateral and trade discussions." Noting that two similar requests from Safari for meetings just prior to the UN vote on UNSCR 1803 had fallen through, Gaffey expressed the opinion that Safari's visit would produce little of substance. Commenting on his observations of Iranian visitors (including past meetings with Safari),Gaffey described the Iranians as universally unable to engage in dialogue. Rather, he said, they recite the party line while DUBLIN 00000329 002 OF 002 earnest notetakers record what they say. In the case of Safari, Gaffey said this was unfortunate, describing Safari as bright and knowledgeable on economic issues. Gaffey promised to give POLOFF a read-out after the Safari visit. -------------- Lebanon -------------- ¶7. (C) Gaffey reiterated that Ireland supports Arab League efforts to resolve the political crisis in Lebanon (Ref F), noting that President Michael Suleiman seemed to be doing well so far. Reflecting on Ireland's experience in seeking a post-conflict political settlement in Northern Ireland, Gaffey mused that Suleiman's challenge is all the more daunting for having an armed Hizballah as part of the government. In retrospect, Gaffey said, the most alarming aspect of the recent violence in Lebanon was how it had seemed to split along the decades-old fault lines that perpetuated the Lebanese civil war. At the end of the day, Gaffey commented, peace in Lebanon will depend largely on achieving peace in the broader Middle East. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) It comes as no surprise that Ireland is unwilling to get out in front of the EU on matters relating to the Middle East. Nonetheless, once EU decisions are made, we can expect Ireland not to drag its feet in implementing them. FAUCHER