IRISH WILL ATTEND KOSOVO DONORS' CONFERENCE; OKAY

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000403 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPKO PREL PGOV EI SUBJECT: IRISH WILL ATTEND KOSOVO DONORS' CONFERENCE; OKAY WITH IMF AND WORLD BANK MEMBERSHIP REF: STATE 69691 ¶1. (U) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche on July 3 to Emma Madigan, Deputy Director, Europe and UN Coordination Division, Department of Foreign Affairs. Madigan stated that Ireland would attend the Kosovo Donor's conference on July 11, represented by Ireland's Ambassador to Brussels. It was unclear, she said, what contributions Ireland would make, noting that internal discussions were ongoing with Irish Aid, the international development assistance branch of the Irish Government. Madigan pointed out, however, that the Irish Government is firmly committed to the future of Kosovo. (Note: Ireland was the 14th nation in the world to recognize Kosovo and has 280 troops on the ground as part of KFOR. End note.) ¶2. (SBU) Madigan went on to say that Ireland would welcome applications by Kosovo to the IMF and World Bank. Nonetheless, she said, Ireland would not seek shortcuts for Kosovo, which would have to meet the criteria for membership, the same as all other countries. FOLEY