IRISH PRIME MINISTER TO ADDRESS CONGRESS ON APRIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000091 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (PARA MARKING) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN EI SUBJECT: IRISH PRIME MINISTER TO ADDRESS CONGRESS ON APRIL 30; TREATY OPPONENTS CONCERNED Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Robert J. Faucher for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Bertie Ahern has announced that he has accepted an invitation from Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address a joint session of Congress on April 30, 2008. At the same time, Declan Ganley, the President of the Libertas Institute, which is leading the fight in Ireland against the Treaty, urged the Ambassador to press Congress not to set the date for the Congressional address by Ahern prior to the date for the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The Ambassador assured Ganley the U.S. would take no side in the Treaty debate. End summary. AHERN BEFORE CONGRESS -------------- ¶2. (U) Stating that he was deeply honored, Irish Prime Minister (the Taoiseach) Bertie Ahern announced late on February 19 that he has accepted an historic invitation from Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address a joint session of Congress on April 30, 2008. It is expected that his 30-minute speech will highlight the strong historical relationship between the U.S. and Ireland, express gratitude to Members of Congress who have supported the Northern Ireland peace process over the years, and include reference to Ireland's strong economic performances and global issues of mutual concern, such as Kosovo, Darfur, and climate change. ¶3. (C) Ahern, who addressed a joint session of the British Parliament last year, will become only the fifth world leader ever to have addressed joint sessions of both Congress and the British Parliament(Haile Selassie, Charles de Gaulle, Francois Mitterrand and Nelson Mandela). Previous Irish leaders who have addressed Congress include John Burton, Garret FitzGerald, Liam Cosgrave, Eamon de Valera and Sean T. O'Kelly. LISBON TREATY OPPONENTS DISMAYED -------------- ¶4. (C) Declan Ganley, the President of the anti-Lisbon Treaty 'Libertas Institute', accompanied by his Executive Assistant Stephen Nolan, met with the Ambassador February 19 to urge him to press Congress not to set the date for the address by Ahern to both houses of Congress prior to the date for the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Ganley expressed great concern that Ahern, whose favorable ratings have been falling since his June 2007 re-election, would use the inevitable bounce in popularity from his appearance before Congress to sway Irish voters to support the Treaty. ¶5. (C) Ganley warned that the U.S. must be careful not to directly or indirectly influence the outcome of the Treaty referendum in Ireland. Ganley believed that Ahern's address to Congress will undoubtedly touch upon the importance of Ireland's approving the Lisbon Treaty. Ganley went on to assert that such a statement in Congress will be seen by Irish voters as a U.S. endorsement of Ahern's vision and the government's support of the Treaty. Ganley added that the U.S. should be prepared for harsh criticism in leading European newspapers. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador responded that, while the Embassy is watching the Treaty referendum with interest, the U.S. will take no side in the debate. He stressed that for most Americans there is little interest in or awarneness about the referendum. Ahern's Congressional address will be seen in the U.S. primarily as an expression of the long-standing excellent bilateral relations between the U.S. and Ireland. ¶7. (C) Comment: Ganley's Libertas Institution is clearly concerned that casting Ahern in a statesmanlike role will provide unwanted credibility to Ahern's support of the Treaty. While we can expect a bounce for Ahern, who is beleaguered by investigations and tribunals into his personal affairs, Ganley is overstating the case that much of Ireland will be swayed regarding the Treaty due to Ahern's Congressional appearance. End Comment. FOLEY