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). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶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. -------------- Zimbabwe -------------- ¶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. -------------- Somalia -------------- ¶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. -------------- Serbia -------------- ¶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. -------------- Georgia -------------- ¶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. -------------- -------------- Transatlantic Relationship Discussion at the GYMNICH -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Kelly felt that the exchange on the transatlantic relationship at the GYMNICH was helpful. He described the DUBLIN 00000516 002 OF 002 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