IRISH VIEWS ON THE SEPTEMBER 15-16 FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000516

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV MOPS EI
SUBJECT: IRISH VIEWS ON THE SEPTEMBER 15-16 FOREIGN
MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC)

REF: A. STATE 96598

B. STATE 93272

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 September 11,
2008 to Pat Kelly, European Correspondent, Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA). Kelly indicated that Ireland agrees
with the U.S. position on Zimbabwe and fully supports
international action to suppress piracy off the coast of
Somalia. He noted slow but steady progress in Serbia and
indicated that Russia must live up to its commitments --
including its recent agreement with President Sarkozy -- to
resolve the crisis in Georgia. He said the French planned to
call for an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers before
the end of the year, which would be dedicated to reaching
agreement on the key challenges and opportunities that would
define the transatlantic relationship in the future (Ref B).
End summary.

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Zimbabwe
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2. (C) Kelly indicated that the Foreign Ministers would
review the situation on the ground and would likely agree to
place sanctions on additional members of the Mugabe regime.
While he was pleased that the intervention of South African
President Mbeki had produced results, Kelly said the Irish
were skeptical that the agreement would actually be honored
by Mugabe in the long-term. He voiced Ireland's
determination that the EU must work with the UN, AU, and SADC
to achieve progress, saying that the rest of the world
couldn't leave the process entirely up to Mbeki.

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Somalia
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3. (C) Ireland fully supports international action to
suppress piracy off the Somali coast according to Kelly. He
noted that EU Member States are in agreement that a small EU
mission to combat piracy should be sent to the region
immediately. During the GAERC the Foreign Ministers will
also be considering a larger ESDP naval force, he said.
Kelly indicated that any EU force would coordinate very
closely with NATO ships and other international and bilateral
forces.

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Serbia
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4. (C) Kelly stated that Ireland is reasonably encouraged by
the slow but steady progress it sees in Serbia, pointing to
the arrest of Radovan Karadzic as a prime example. He said
that the Foreign Ministers would discuss a possible interim
agreement with Serbia to help cement the EU-Serbia
relationship as the SSA process unfolds. Kelly said that
Ireland didn't see any serious hindrances in the transition
to a EULEX force. He didn't think that the Foreign Ministers
would discuss Serbia's request for an ICJ advisory opinion on
the legality of Kosovo's independence.

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Georgia
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5. (C) Kelly said that Ireland viewed French President
Sarkozy's meetings in Moscow on September 8 as positive, in
that the Russians agreed to withdraw troops from Georgia,
accept an international monitoring mechanism, and hold
international talks. An EU civil monitoring mission -- to be
on the ground by October 1 -- would likely be approved at the
GAERC, he said. Kelly noted that Ireland fully supported the
territorial integrity of Georgia and would insist on full
implementation of the six-point plan as well as the agreement
reached during the Sarkozy visit. He voiced skepticism
however that Russia would allow the EU to deploy the civil
monitoring mission in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

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Transatlantic Relationship Discussion at the GYMNICH
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6. (C) Kelly felt that the exchange on the transatlantic
relationship at the GYMNICH was helpful. He described the

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participants as keenly aware of the importance of the
U.S.-European relationship, especially given the severity of
global issues facing the international community. He said
the French planned to call for an informal meeting of EU
Foreign Ministers before the end of the year, which would be
dedicated to reaching agreement on the key challenges and
opportunities that would define the transatlantic
relationship in the future (Ref B).

FOLEY