US embassy cable - 04DUBLIN886

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000886 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EB/TRA - JBYERLY/LFAUX-GABLE; EUR/ERA - KALLEGRONE; EUR/UBI 
- CKRAFFT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2009 
TAGS: EAIR, EU 
SUBJECT: CIVAIR DEMARCHE ON US-EU AGREEMENT - IRELAND 
 
REF: STATE 124593 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES KENNY PER 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C)  Drawing on reftel points, pol/econ chief met on June 
9 with Irish Civil Aviation Director General John Lumsden to 
discuss how to move forward the U.S.-EU air services 
agreement before the June 26 US-EU Summit.  Lumsden noted 
that, following the excellent meeting last month in Ljubljana 
between Irish Minister of Transport Seamus Brennan and U.S. 
Secretary Mineta, Brennan is determined to do his utmost to 
 
SIPDIS 
secure support for an agreement among his colleagues in the 
June 10-11 EU Transport Ministers meeting in Brussels. 
Lumsden added that Brennan intended to start with phone calls 
today, beginning with his British counterpart.  Lumsden said 
that Brennan was not just doing this to further progress on 
an amended US-Ireland civair agreement, but because it was 
his responsibility as head of the Transport Council during 
the Irish EU Presidency. 
 
2.  (C)  Lumsden said that there is no prospect this week for 
a Ministers' consensus approving the current U.S.-EU 
agreement.  Instead, Brennan's objective is to get a positive 
tone from his EU colleagues that minimizes opposition and 
achieves a broad consensus to further pursue a first-step 
agreement before the June 26 Summit.  Lumsden noted that we 
should, therefore, anticipate Irish Presidency vice Council 
conclusions on June 11.  Lumsden said one positive factor is 
that the US-EU agreement is scheduled for discussion over 
lunch on June 11, which is restricted to Ministers only. 
This should facilitate a full and frank airing of Member 
States' political views.  While Lumsden confirmed that the UK 
is telling them it sees no prospect of an agreement before 
June 26, the Irish strategy between now and the Summit is to 
get a consensus of 24 Member States on the essential elements 
of an agreement, with only details left to be ironed out 
after June 26.  If that happens, the Irish believe the UK 
will reluctantly climb on board. 
 
3.  (C)  Lumsden stressed that the end of the Transport 
Council meeting on June 11 will provide clarity on whether 
the US and EU should engage again on an agreement before the 
Summit.  If there is a broadly held view that the U.S. and EU 
are close to an agreement and further negotiations may close 
the gap, then the EU will call for an additional round of 
negotiations to try and conclude a deal/package that can be 
announced at the Summit.  Otherwise, it will have to await 
the Dutch EU Presidency.  Lumsden added that, if there is a 
breakthrough on an agreement, then the Irish will want to 
conclude bilateral talks with the U.S. as quickly as possible 
after July 9, when the Irish Dail (parliament) is in recess, 
freeing up Brennan to travel to Washington to meet with 
Mineta to discuss the outlines of a final U.S.-Ireland 
agreement. 
KENNY