IRELAND ON SEPTEMBER 4-5 EU FMS' GYMNICH

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000348 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EI SUBJECT: IRELAND ON SEPTEMBER 4-5 EU FMS' GYMNICH REF: A. 8/28/09 NARDI E-MAIL "SEPTEMBER GYMNICH" ¶B. STOCKHOLM 558 ¶1. (U) On September 1, Poloff delivered ref A non-paper for the September 4-5 EU Foreign Ministers, Gymnich meeting to Peter Ryan, European Correspondent in the Department of Foreign Affairs. Ryan had just taken up his position on August 31 and was starting to prepare for Gymnich. Ryan said he would distribute the non-paper to his Political Director, Deputy Political Director and to the relevant desk officers. On Israeli-Palestinian peace, he said that Ireland shared the U.S. emphasis on creating the context for the prompt resumption of negotiations between the parties. On Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ryan said the EU,s draft Afghanistan/Pakistan strategy paper, which Ryan had not yet seen, would serve as the basis for the Gymnich discussion. ¶2. (U) Further discussion focused particularly on the importance of consideration of additional budget assistance to the Palestinian Authority; increased U.S.-EU coordination of assistance efforts in Afghanistan; filling vacant positions in the EU police training mission in Afghanistan and the possible provision of EU experts to embed in Afghan ministries; support for the creation of the Pakistan Border Fund; and swift disbursement of pledged EU assistance to Pakistan. With the caveat that he was new to the job, Ryan said he would see to it that the non-paper would be taken into serious consideration in Irish preparation for Gymnich. ROONEY