Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DUBLIN114
2009-03-09 15:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

IRISH GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ATTACK ON BRITISH

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER MOPS EI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHDL #0114/01 0681503
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 091503Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9878
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
RUEHBL/AMCONSUL BELFAST PRIORITY 0959
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUBLIN 000114 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER MOPS EI
SUBJECT: IRISH GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ATTACK ON BRITISH
SOLDIERS IN THE NORTH; WILL RAISE INCIDENT DURING ST.
PATRICK'S DAY BILATERAL

DUBLIN 00000114 001.2 OF 003


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

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUBLIN 000114

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER MOPS EI
SUBJECT: IRISH GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ATTACK ON BRITISH
SOLDIERS IN THE NORTH; WILL RAISE INCIDENT DURING ST.
PATRICK'S DAY BILATERAL

DUBLIN 00000114 001.2 OF 003


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

Summary
--------------


1. (C) The government of Ireland has condemned the attacks
in Northern Ireland on March 7 that killed two British
soldiers. Irish government officials say that the Northern
Ireland Assembly, the British government and the Irish
government are coordinating their responses closely. Dublin
also sees Sinn Fein and the DUP in the North working well
together in response to the violence. Prime Minister Brian
Cowen will likely raise the incident with President Obama
during their bilateral discussion on March 17 at the White
House, emphasizing the need for unity of action and saying
this incident demonstrates the continuing need for a U.S.
Special Envoy to the Northern Ireland Peace Process. Martin
Fraser, Assistant Secretary, Northern Ireland and
International Division, Office of the Taoiseach (Prime
Minister) said it would be a mistake for NIA First Secretary
Peter Robinson and Deputy First Secretary Martin McGuinness
to cancel their trip to Washington for St. Patrick's Day
events because the trip will emphasize Sinn Fein and DUP
unity in addressing the crisis and will give the leaders a
"reward" for their ability and willingness to continue to
seek peace in the face of provocation. He suggested it would
be useful for a high-level official of the Department of
State (in the absence of a Special Envoy) to phone both
McGuinness and (especially) Robinson to express support and
appreciation for their efforts to respond to the attack.
This assessment reflects the view from Dublin, which we think
will be useful for our colleagues in Belfast and London who
are dealing with the situation on-the-ground. End summary.

Irish Government Statements
--------------


2. (U) In response to the attack on British troops on March
7 in Northern Ireland, Irish leaders issued statements
condemning the violence.

Begin Statements
--------------


A. Statement by Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen:

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the murders in
Antrim. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved and
to the injured. I look forward to seeing those responsible
brought swiftly to justice. We had all hoped that senseless
violence was a thing of the past. Violence has been utterly
rejected by the people of this island, both North and South.
A tiny group of evil people can not and will not undermine
the will of the people of Ireland to live in peace together."

The Taoiseach has conveyed a message of sympathy to the Prime
Minister. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has also been in
contact with the Northern Ireland Secretary.


B. Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin:

"Let us be clear. The targets of this attack are the Irish
people, North and South. This is an attempt to undermine the
remarkable progress of recent years. The perpetrators of
this assault have no mandate. They will not be allowed to
succeed. They must be brought to justice."


C. Statement by President Mary McAleese:

President McAleese has expressed her shock and dismay at last
night's attack at Massereene British Army Base in Co. Antrim.
The President condemned the violence in the strongest terms
and said that her thoughts and prayers were with the families
of those who had been killed and with the injured.

End Statements
--------------


3. (C) On March 9, POLOFF spoke with Martin Fraser,
Assistant Secretary, Northern Ireland and International
Division, Office of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister). (Note:
Fraser will be part of the Prime Minister's delegation to the
St. Patrick's Day bilateral meeting with President Obama in
Washington on March 17. End note.) Fraser indicated that
the Irish government had no reason to refute the claim of
responsibility by the Real IRA, though, he said, British
intelligence had initially thought the perpetrators might be
Continuity IRA because of the geographical location of the
incident.

DUBLIN 00000114 002.2 OF 003




4. (C) Martin made two key points. First, the Irish and
British government have been in close consultation on the
incident. Cowen has talked with British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown and Martin has spoken with British Secretary of
State for northern Ireland Shaun Woodward. The two countries
are in absolute lockstep in responding to the attack.
Second, from the Irish perspective, the political parties in
the North (especially Sinn Fein and the DUP) are "hanging
together" in dealing with this provocation. Martin noted
that Sinn Fein has met with the Chief Constable and that NIA
leaders Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson are visibly
coordinating a unified response. Martin stressed the Irish
government's view that the key to managing the potential
political fallout from this incident is for third parties --
especially the British government -- to leave enough space
for Sinn Fein, the DUP, and other political parties in the
North to respond cooperatively and prove that "murderous
dissidents" do not have a political mandate or strategy
"other than killing people."

St. Patrick's Day Discussion
--------------


5. (C) Martin said that the Prime Minister will "likely"
raise the incident with President Obama during their
bilateral discussion on March 17 at the White House,
emphasizing the continuing threats to the Northern Ireland
peace process and the need for unity of action by the
political parties in the North, the British government, the
Irish government and the U.S. (Comment: We expect Cowen will
say that this incident demonstrates the continuing need for a
U.S. Special Envoy to the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
End comment.)

Possible USG Action?
--------------


6. (C) Martin stated that the Irish government sees it as
absolutely critical for NIA First Secretary Peter Robinson
and Deputy First Secretary Martin McGuinness to travel to
Washington together for the St. Patrick's Day events at the
White House. While noting that the bilateral meeting with
President Obama was a Republic of Ireland affair, he said
that Robinson and McGuinness' presence would reinforce Irish
policy on the North in emphasizing Sinn Fein and DUP unity,
and giving the leaders a "reward" for their ability and
willingness to continue to seek peace in the face of
provocation. It would be "a mistake," he said, for them to
cancel their trip. Martin suggested that it would be useful
for a high-level official of the Department of State (in the
absence of a Special Envoy) to phone both McGuinness and
(especially) Robinson to express support and appreciation for
their efforts to cooperate in responding to the attack.

Sinn Fein's Response
--------------


7. (C) On March 8, POLOFF spoke with Rita O'Hare, the Sinn
Fein Representative to the USG and Treasurer of the party.
O'Hare equally condemned the attack, echoing Sinn Fein
President's statement on March 8. She declared that Sinn
Fein and the vast majority of republicans in Northern Ireland
were appalled by the attack, which she laid at the doorstep
of a splinter republican group. (Note: Later in the day, the
Irish press reported that the Real IRA, a republican splinter
group, had claimed responsibility for the attack. End note.)
O'Hare stated that this incident highlighted the danger of
renegade splinter groups, which, she said, were using the
republican mantle to perpetrate incidents that could
destabilize Northern Ireland and deflect attention from their
true intentions -- criminal endeavors, including drug
smuggling, weapons dealing, extortion, and the like. She
specifically pointed to a group of republican criminals who
are loosely allied under the banner of "Oglaigh na hEireann"
("Warriors of Ireland"),a name used by early nationalist
paramilitary groups. O'Hare said that her greatest fear was
that the British government would over-react. She was
especially nervous about the potential negative impact on
republicans in the North of bringing MI-5 into the
investigation. Nonetheless, she said that Sinn Fein
recognized that this was the first major test of the peace
process and that republican Sinn Fein would do everything in
its power to cooperate with unionists, keep republicans calm,
and deal with this incident as "the criminal attack it was."


Comment
--------------


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8. (C) This assessment reflects the view from Dublin, which
we think will be useful for our colleagues in Belfast and
London who are dealing with the situation on-the-ground.
FAUCHER