IRISH VIEWS ON THE OCTOBER 13 FOREIGN MINISTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000560 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV EI SUBJECT: IRISH VIEWS ON THE OCTOBER 13 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) REF: A. STATE 108064 ¶B. DUBLIN 535 Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) POLOFF delivered demarche (Ref A) on October 9 to Pat Kelly, European Correspondent, Department of Foreign Affairs. Ireland will support continued EU sanctions in Zimbabwe until a genuine power sharing government is formed. It is encouraged by the progress it sees in Georgia and believes the Russians are looking for ways to defuse the crisis. Ireland firmly supported the EU's expression of disappointment in the September 28 parliamentary elections in Belarus, but is leery of isolating Belarus from the international community, which might drive it toward Russia. Ireland has much the same views of conditions in Uzbekistan. End summary. -------------- Zimbabwe -------------- ¶2. (C) Kelly expressed Irish disappointment that little progress has been made since the power sharing agreement was signed on September 15. He said this situation cannot drag on indefinitely. Ireland will support continued EU sanctions until a genuine power sharing government is formed, Kelly stated. -------------- Georgia -------------- ¶3. (C) Ireland, which is participating in the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, is encouraged by the progress it sees, especially moves by the Russians to withdraw, according to Kelly. "It's moving in the right direction," he said. He noted that Russians have expressed gratitude for the EU's speedy deployment of the mission and expressed the opinion that the Russians were surprised by the robust international condemnation of its actions in Georgia, which has been complicated by the emerging world financial crisis. (Comment: Kelly implied that the Russians are seeking effective mechanisms to quietly defuse the crisis and speculated that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's recent visit to Dublin (Ref B) was, in part, to gather ideas on how to accomplish this. End comment.) -------------- Belarus -------------- ¶4. (C) Kelly noted that Ireland firmly supported the EU's expression of disappointment in the September 28 parliamentary elections, saying that the election fell far short of international standards. At the same time, Kelly said, Ireland is leery of isolating Belarus from the international community and would prefer a combination of sanctions and incentives so as to not drive Belarus "back into the arms of Mother Russia." -------------- Uzbekistan -------------- ¶5. (C) Uzbekistan is in much the same category as Belarus, Kelly said. While the human rights performance of the Uzbekistan government is poor, Kelly indicated that the EU would be reluctant to press the regime so hard that it would feel compelled to seek closer relations with Russia. Kelly predicted that EU sanctions -- though not the arms embargo -- might be slightly eased as an incentive to further cooperation. FAUCHER