IRISH VIEWS OF THE JUNE 16-17 FOREIGN MINISTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000357

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2018
TAGS: IS PHUM PREL PGOV EI
SUBJECT: IRISH VIEWS OF THE JUNE 16-17 FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING (GAERC)

REF: STATE 62450

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

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Summary
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1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche on June 12 to Pat
Kelly, European Correspondent, Department of Foreign Affairs.
EU Foreign Ministers will be briefed by High Representative
Javier Solana following his scheduled discussions with
Iranian leaders in Tehran, June 14-15. There are no plans to
increase EC representation in Iraq. The Irish Government is
concerned about the continuing violence in the Middle East;
Ireland is still discussing whether to participate in the
Berlin Conference. Ireland supports Arab League efforts to
resolve the political crisis in Lebanon. Kelly indicated
that EU restrictive measures on Cuba would likely be
rescinded during the GAERC, saying that he did not think it
likely that benchmarks would be attached to the lifting. The
Irish think the transition from UNMIK to EULEX in Kosovo is
proceeding well. They do not anticipate any immediate
difficulties when Kosovo's constitution comes into effect on
June 15. The Irish think the EUFOR operations in Chad are
going well. End summary.

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Iran
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2. (C) Kelly indicated that no conclusions would be reached
on Iran during the GAERC. Mainly, he said, the Foreign
Ministers would listen to High Representative Javier Solana's
report-out on his discussions with Iranian leaders in Tehran,
June 14-15.

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Iraq
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3. (C) Kelly said he was not aware of any plans to increase
EC representation in Iraq. Nor, he said, was he aware of any
proposed dates for a Solana visit.

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Israeli-Palestinian Peace
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4. (SBU) Kelly expressed the concern of the Irish Government
in the continuing violence in the Middle East and the
roadblocks to the roadmap. He noted that the Irish
Government sees the solution to the Middle East's problems as
possible only over the long-term, saying that it was
unrealistic to expect a great deal of progress by the end of
the year. He indicated that Ireland was still discussing
(through their equivalent of an inter-agency process) whether
it would participate in the Berlin Conference, pointing out
that there have been substantial recent requests for
additional funding in the region, e.g., Iraq and Lebanon.

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Lebanon
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5. (SBU) Kelly reiterated that Ireland supports Arab League
efforts to resolve the political crisis in Lebanon, noting
that there would be no conclusion on Lebanon at this month's
GAERC.

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Sudan/Darfur
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6. (SBU) Kelly stated that the Irish agree with the U.S.
views on Sudan/Darfur, saying that the Darfur peace process
was certainly in need of reinvigoration. He noted that Luis
Moreno-Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal
Court, was conducting an investigation into Darfur, the
outcome of which would help guide future EU policy on Sudan
and Darfur.

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Cuba
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7. (C) Kelly said that the EU restrictive measures on Cuba
would likely be rescinded during the GAERC. He did not think
it likely that benchmarks would be attached to the lifting,
saying that it was better to start the dialogue and efforts
to support democracy and human rights on a basis that is as

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"positive and open as possible."

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Western Balkans
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8. (C) Regarding Kosovo, Kelly indicated the Irish think the
transition from UNMIK to EULEX is proceeding well. He
described the UN as cooperative on the ground. Kelly did not
anticipate any immediate difficulties when Kosovo's
constitution comes into effect on June 15.

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Chad
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9. (C) Noting that Ireland commands the EUFOR troops and has
about 360 boots on the ground, Kelly described the EUFOR
operations as going well. He indicated that Ireland did not
expect much action with the advent of the rainy season.
FOLEY