REQUESTING SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000148 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2019 TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR EI SUBJECT: REQUESTING SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFGHANISTAN REF: A. STATE 31102 ¶B. STATE 29482 ¶C. DUBLIN 105 Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) POLOFF delivered demarches (Refs A and B) on April 3 and March 31 respectively to Isolde Moylan, Regional Director, Office of Asia and Oceania, Department of Foreign Affairs. Moylan responded that the government of Ireland is "strongly appreciative and supportive" of both the Afghanistan/Pakistan review process and the strategy arising from it. Despite the tough budgetary times, Moylan said, the government of Ireland is reviewing how it may be able to enhance its support for the new strategy. (Note: Ireland currently provides seven troops to ISAF through the Partnership for Peace program and has donated over euro 16 million (USD20.2 million) to Afghanistan in relief, recovery, and development assistance. End note.) ¶2. (C) Post will continue to press Irish government officials for firm commitments. FAUCHER