Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DUBLIN17
2009-01-12 11:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

UNDERSECRETARY DOBRIANSKY'S VISIT TO IRELAND.

Tags:  PREL PGOV CU EI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4594
PP RUEHBL
DE RUEHDL #0017/01 0121151
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121151Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9694
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2576
RUEHBL/AMCONSUL BELFAST 0864
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0014
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000017 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV CU EI
SUBJECT: UNDERSECRETARY DOBRIANSKY'S VISIT TO IRELAND.

Classified By: DCM Robert J. Faucher. Reasons 1.4(b/d).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000017

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV CU EI
SUBJECT: UNDERSECRETARY DOBRIANSKY'S VISIT TO IRELAND.

Classified By: DCM Robert J. Faucher. Reasons 1.4(b/d).

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


1. (C) On January 7, Under Secretary for Democracy and
Global Affairs and Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Paula
Dobriansky met with President Mary McAleese, Prime Minister
(Taoiseach) Brian Cowen, and Foreign Minister Micheal Martin
to discuss the Northern Ireland peace process. The Irish
officials made a strong pitch to maintain the Special Envoy
position in the Obama administration and offered to assist
U.S.-initiated international conflict resolution initiatives.
Dobriansky appealed to the Foreign Minister to focus on
human rights issues and meet with civil society during his
upcoming visit to Cuba. End summary.

Meeting with President McAleese
--------------


2. (C) President Mary McAleese thanked Dobriansky for her
efforts in moving the Northern Ireland peace process forward
over the last two years. She urged that the special envoy
position be maintained in the Obama administration, saying
that there is still much work to be done, and that the
involvement of the U.S. remains crucial. (Dobriansky
responded to this repeated request throughout her meetings by
saying that she had expressed her strong recommendation to
the transition team that the Special Envoy position be
retained.) With an obvious sense of relief, McAleese noted
that the agreement on the devolution of policing and justice
allowed for all the building blocks to fall into place, and
stated definitively that the peace process cannot now be
reversed. She pointed out that the British and Irish
governments made a conscious policy decision not to intervene
on this issue, preferring to test the durability of the peace
process by letting the Northern Ireland authorities work it
out among themselves. McAleese agreed with Dobriansky's
suggestion that those involved in negotiating the peace in
Northern Ireland could play a useful role to play in
facilitating peace talks in conflicts in other parts of the
world. Finally, she passed on her congratulations to
President Bush and wished him well in the future.

Meeting with Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Brian Cowen
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Taoiseach Brian Cowen also thanked Dobriansky for her

"invaluable" support, which, he said, kept the political
parties in Northern Ireland focused on issues of governance
rather than issues of grievance. He welcomed Dobriansky's
intention to remain involved in Irish affairs -- in
particular in promoting business investment and supporting
community reconciliation efforts -- and offered Irish
government assistance in such initiatives. He expressed his
interest in Irish participation in future U.S.-sponsored
international conflict resolution programs, such as those
that might emerge from President Bush's proposed "Freedom
Institute." He echoed President McAleese in urging the USG
to maintain the position of Special Envoy to Northern
Ireland, saying that such a role "personalized" the critical
American presence in the peace process and "added to the
probability of its continued success."

Lunch with Foreign Minister Micheal Martin
--------------


4. (C) Similar themes emerged during Dobriansky's lunch with
Foreign Minister Martin, which included Director General of
the Anglo-Irish Division Pat Hennessy, and Political Director
Rory Montgomery. They, too, strongly recommended that the
role of Special Envoy be continued, noting the key role
Dobriansky had played in promoting the devolution of policing
and justice. In particular, they cited the fact that
Dobriansky encouraged Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to work
directly with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to work out
a deal, rather than agreeing to serve as an intermediary (as
Adams had initially requested). Ultimately, as pointed out
by both Martin and Cowen, the fact that Sinn Fein and the DUP
worked out a timetable for devolution without outside help
was as important as the timetable itself. Dobriansky agreed,
observing that this achievement was a notable point of pride
between Northern Ireland First Secretary Peter Robinson and
Deputy First Secretary Martin McGuinness during their brief
meeting with President Bush in Washington in December 2008.


5. (C) Dobriansky also noted that, during their brief
December meeting, President Bush invited both Robinson and
McGuinness to participate in "Freedom Institute" initiatives
on global conflict resolution, an item of particular interest
to Foreign Minister Martin. Martin told Dobriansky, "If we

DUBLIN 00000017 002 OF 002


can be of assistance (in conflict resolution initiatives),
feel free to call on us." Dobriansky shared that Gerry Adams
had expressed to her interest in participating in USG
initiatives aimed at reconciling the Palestinians and
Israelis, particularly given the current crisis in Gaza - an
offer she had passed along to the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau
and President-Elect Obama's transition team.

Cuba
--------------


6. (C) Referring to Martin's upcoming plans to visit to
Cuba, Dobriansky appealed to him to focus on human rights
issues and to meet with civil society. She pointed out that,
with Ireland's excellent international reputation as a
promoter of human rights and democracy, such outreach would
send a strong signal to Cuba and the rest of the world.
Martin took her request on board.


7. (U) Under Secretary Dobriansky cleared this message.
FOLEY