IRISH UNGA PRIORITIES FIT WITH U.S. GOALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000351

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/UNP (SUN); EUR/PGI (ELDRIDGE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNGA EI
SUBJECT: IRISH UNGA PRIORITIES FIT WITH U.S. GOALS

REF: STATE 90254

Classified By: PEO Chief Dwight Nystrom. Reasons 1.4(b/d).


1. (C) Summary: The Irish goals taking shape for UNGA appear
to dovetail quite well with U.S. priorities (reftel).
Nonproliferation is a top Irish objective, with strengthening
the NPT singled out especially. On human rights, the Irish
are focusing on Iran, DPRK, Burma and Sudan. The Irish
approaches toward promoting development, gender issues and UN
management focus on increasing UN efficiency. On the Middle
East, however, Ireland might be reluctant to oppose
anti-Israel resolutions. End summary.


2. (SBU) On August 31, Poloff spoke to Pat Kelly, Acting
Director of UN Coordination in the Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA),about Ireland,s UNGA priorities. Kelly
cautioned us that the DFA was still in the process of
formulating UNGA priorities. That said, his first-mentioned
objective was nonproliferation, disarmament and strengthening
the NPT. On human rights as well, it appears that the Irish
share our focus on Iran, DPRK and Burma. Kelly mentioned
that his government is also concerned about the human rights
situation in Sudan.

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UN Efficiency: Development, Gender, Budget
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3. (SBU) Kelly spoke in more detail on increasing UN
efficiency. Firstly, Kelly said Ireland wanted to help bring
&system-wide coherence8 to the UN,s development-related
activities by identifying a mechanism by which all UN
agencies involved in development could better coordinate
their efforts, both generally and in specific countries.
Kelly said increasing food security and improving global
health should be key aspects of the effort toward system-wide
coherence. Kelly commented that 20 percent of Irish ODA
would now be committed to fighting hunger, making that a top
Irish development priority.


4. (SBU) On gender issues, Kelly agreed with reftel, saying
the Irish support consolidation of all the principal UN
agencies, gender-related efforts under one entity.


5. (SBU) On UN management and reform, Kelly said Ireland,s
focus would be on achieving a more transparent Scale of
Assessment. He said Ireland had not thought much about the
issue of the ceiling rate for the regular budget, but he said
there were no plans to push for an increase.

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LUKEWARM ON ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS
--------------


6. (C) On the Middle East, Kelly said Ireland fully shared
the U.S. goal of creating a climate for peace. He was
reticent, however, to say Ireland would oppose anti-Israel
resolutions or work for consolidation of one-sided
resolutions. (NOTE: Ireland,s record on anti-Israel
resolutions in the past has been mixed at best, influenced by
Ireland,s strong support for Palestinian independence. END
NOTE.)
ROONEY