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).

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Summary
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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.

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Zimbabwe
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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.

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Georgia
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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.)

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Belarus
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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."

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Uzbekistan
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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