IRELAND WILLING TO DISCUSS INTEROPERABILITY ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000084

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018
TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL NATO EI
SUBJECT: IRELAND WILLING TO DISCUSS INTEROPERABILITY ISSUES
AT WELLINGTON CLUSTER MUNITIONS CONFERENCE

REF: A. STATE 13607


B. DUBLIN 43

C. DUBLIN 33

Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce
Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: This is an action request; see paragraph 4.
Ireland is still hoping for a complete ban on cluster
munitions as part of the Oslo Process, although it recognizes
that not all EU Member States agree with this position. The
Irish Government recognizes that interoperability remains a
point of contention and expects this issue to be the main
focus of the Wellington conference. Ireland is open to
suggestions from the USG on wording that could be used in the
Oslo Process draft text, which would help resolve
interoperability issues. End summary.


2. (C) POLOFF met with Nicholas Twist, Deputy Director,
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Division, Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA),on February 13 to deliver Ref A
demarche. POLOFF emphasized that the USG recognizes the
potential humanitarian impact of cluster munitions and that
we are committed to addressing these issues through the CCW.
Twist acknowledged USG efforts and applauded the amount of
funding the USG has provided to clean up munitions.
Nonetheless, he said, Ireland was firmly focused on banning
all cluster munitions due, in part, to the "horrors" Minister
for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern personally saw during his
visit to Lebanon after the conflict with Israel in 2006.
Observing the direct impact of cluster munitions on civilian
populations brought the problem to the forefront of Irish
policy, Twist said.


3. (C) Twist, who will be part of Ireland's delegation to
Wellington, recently returned from Brussels where EU
discussions took place on the upcoming Oslo Process
conference in Wellington. He told POLOFF that not all EU
Member States support a complete ban on cluster munitions,
largely due to interoperability issues. He acknowledged that
interoperability would be the main topic of debate during the
upcoming Wellington conference. Acknowledging that
interoperability problems could adversely affect future
humanitarian relief, peacekeeping, and joint training
missions, Twist said the Irish Government would welcome input
from the USG on proposed language that would address
interoperability issues in the current Oslo Process draft
text. Twist also inquired about the internal review of USG
policy regarding cluster munitions and asked if post could
provide him with any report that might be published.


4. (C) Action request: Please advise post what language
might be used in the Oslo Process draft text that would help
resolve interoperability issues. If such language is
available, the Department may wish Embassy Wellington to
engage the Irish delegation directly in New Zealand. Please
also advise if the results of the internal review on USG
cluster munitions policy can be made available to the
Government of Ireland. End action request.


5. (C) Comment: In contrast to previous discussions on
cluster munitions (Ref C),Twist was more amenable to
discussing possible changes to the Oslo Process draft text,
which would allow for interoperability with non-state parties
-- perhaps bowing to the debate among EU Member States on
interoperability issues. Although he did not state it
explicitly, Twist implied that the draft text must be changed
to deal with interoperability problems if the Oslo Process is
to move forward. This echoes DFA Political Director Rory
Montgomery's statements to EUR/WE Office Director Kathy
Allegrone on January 18 (Ref B).

FAUCHER