US embassy cable - 04DUBLIN884

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000884 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2014 
TAGS: PREL, EUN 
SUBJECT: GAERC AND EUROPEAN COUNCIL DEMARCHE - IGC AND 
CHOICE OF COMMISSION HEAD TO DOMINATE DISCUSSIONS 
 
REF: STATE 125932 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES KENNY FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d) 
 
1. (C)  DCM AND EMBOFFS PASSED REFTEL POINTS JUNE 9 TO DFA 
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT KEVIN CONMY AND DFA EXTERNAL RELATIONS 
CHIEF KEVIN DOWLING.  BOTH NOTED THAT MUCH OF THE JUNE 14-15 
GAERC AND THE JUNE 17-18 EUROPEAN COUNCIL MEETING WOULD BE 
DEVOTED TO DISCUSSION OF THE EU CONSTITUTION AND THE CHOICE 
OF THE NEXT HEAD OF THE EU COMMISSION, ALTHOUGH THE SCHEDULE 
DOES PROVIDE TIME FOR SOME FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES OF 
IMPORTANCE.  THE GAERC WILL DISCUSS OUTSTANDING 
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES IN THE MORNING AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES 
DURING LUNCH WITH THE AFTERNOON SESSION DEALING WITH 
PREPARATION FOR THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND WHATEVER 
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES WERE LEFT OVER FROM LUNCH. 
 
2.  (C)  THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL WILL DEVOTE JUNE 17 TO THE EU 
CONSTITUTION WITH THE CHOICE OF THE NEW HEAD OF THE EU 
COMMISSION TO BE DISCUSSED AT DINER.  ON JUNE 18 THE COUNCIL 
WILL DEAL WITH ITS OWN AGENDA ITEMS, PRIMARILY EU 
COUNTERTERRORISM ACTIVITIES.  IT WILL THEN REVERT TO THE IGC 
FORMAT TO COMPLETE DISCUSSIONS ON THE CONSTITUTION WITH THE 
INTENTION OF COMPLETING ITS WORK BY LUNCH WITH THE CHAMPAGNE 
ON ICE FOR THE "CELEBRATION." 
 
3.  (C)  ASKED ABOUT THE CHOICE OF A NEW HEAD OF THE EU 
COMMISSION, COMNY SAID THE TAOISEACH HAD DISCUSSED THIS ONLY 
IN HIS TETE A TETE MEETINGS WITH EUROPEAN LEADERS AND THE 
INFORMATION WAS BEING VERY CLOSELY HELD. IN ADDITION TO THE 
USUAL POLITICS SURROUNDING THE SELECTION OF A NEW COMMISSION 
HEAD, THE FACT THAT THE CANDIDATE MUST ALSO BE APPROVED BY A 
MAJORITY OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WAS GREATLY COMPLICATING 
THE DISCUSSIONS. CONMY REITERATED THE COMMON VIEW HERE THAT 
AHERN IS NOT HIMSELF INTERESTED IN THE JOB. 
 
4.  (C)  WITH REGARD TO THE EU CONSTITUTION, COMNY SAID THE 
IRISH REMAINED "QUIETLY CONFIDENT" THAT THE DEAL CAN BE DONE. 
THE TAOISEACH'S MOST RERCENT TOUR OF EU CAPITALS HAD NOT 
CHANGED THIS EVALUATION, ALTHOUGH IT WAS CLEAR THAT A 
SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME WILL STRETCH THE "LIMITS OF POLITICAL 
FLEXIBILITY" NOT ONLY IN MADRID AND WARSAW, BUT ALSO IN 
PARIS, BERLIN AND LONDON.  PUTTING THE RIGHT PACKAGE TOGETHER 
WOULD BE DIFFICULT, ACCORDING TO CONMY, BUT THE DEAL IS 
THERE, IF THE WILL IS THERE TO DO IT. 
KENNY