US embassy cable - 04DUBLIN1827

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 001827 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, EI, NIPP 
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRELAND:  REISS CONSULTS WITH IRISH ON 
NEXT STEPS; AMB RAISES SECURITY OF U.S. INTERESTS 
 
REF: A. LONDON 9369 
     B. DUBLIN 1811 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James C. Kenny for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C)  The President's Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, 
Mitchell B. Reiss, traveled to Dublin on December 16 to 
discuss next steps in the peace process with Irish officials. 
 Brendan Scannell, DFA Director of the Anglo-Irish Division, 
expressed views similar to those heard in London (reftel). 
Scannell talked about how close parties had come to a deal 
and praised USG efforts, especially the President's telephone 
calls to Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley.  Scannell expressed the 
view that a deal is still possible and contacts are 
continuing; however, he indicated that everyone needed the 
Christmas holiday to recover and to consider next steps. 
Scannell talked about differences among the parties over 
verification (photos), the need to specify more precisely the 
role of the independent observers called for in the draft, 
and the problem of criminality, which was brought to a head 
when the IRA statement varied from the draft agreement. 
Scannell said that the Irish government would need an 
explicit commitment from Sinn Fein that it would forego 
criminality.  When Ambassador Kenny asked whether the IRA 
deliberately left out any reference to criminality in order 
to give itself some negotiating room, Scannell agreed that 
this was likely part of the reasoning. 
 
2.  (C)  Dr. Reiss also met Minister for Justice, Michael 
McDowell, and MoJ Secretary General Sean Aylward.  Aylward 
and McDowell evinced a similar fatigue and the need among all 
parties to use the Christmas break to cool down.  While they 
agreed with DFA's assessment of outstanding issues, they were 
more caustic in their discussion of Sinn Fein.  Minister 
McDowell is from the Progressive Democrats (PD), the junior 
partner in government and the party that immediately took to 
the floor of parliament when the IRA statement was published. 
 PD demanded an end to criminality as part of a comprehensive 
deal.  He thus was more openly critical of Sinn Fein and the 
IRA during his meeting with Reiss.  During the meeting, news 
of the conviction of the "Colombia Three" came in; unlike 
later statements from the Foreign Minister, McDowell and 
Aylward shed no tears at the news that the three IRA members 
were convicted and given a 17-year sentence by Colombian 
courts. 
 
3. (C) In addition to discussion of Northern Ireland issues, 
Ambassador Kenny raised USG concerns about the safety of 
American interests in Ireland, including the Embassy. 
Aylward said he took security of U.S. installations seriously 
and would look into the matter, at the same time noting the 
difficulty of protecting the large number of U.S. businesses 
in Ireland.  Aylward and the Ambassador discussed their 
efforts to reach out to the Muslim community.  The Ambassador 
noted USG satisfaction that the lower house of parliament 
finally passed counter-terrorism legislation (ref B).  When 
passed by the Senate, the legislation will give Ireland 
better legal instruments with which to pursue terrorists. 
 
4. (C)  Comment:  The Irish threw their heart and soul into 
the peace process, beginning with Leeds.  Their fatigue and 
discouragement was apparent during Reiss' visit, as was their 
commitment to continue to push for the deal.  If a deal is to 
be cut before the UK parliamentary elections, all pieces 
would need to be in place by the end of March, in the GOI 
view.  At the moment, Sinn Fein has hurt its standing with 
the GOI.  The Prime Minister is taking serious political heat 
because of massive opposition to including the release of the 
killers of Garda (police officer) Gerry McCabe in a 
comprehensive settlement.  McCabe's killers were reportedly 
"freelancing" IRA members.  At the same time, Progressive 
Democrats have gotten the government to agree that a clear 
end to criminality is a necessary precursor to any deal. 
News of the conviction of the Colombia Three certainly did 
not help Sinn Fein either, and Gerry Adams' remarks to the 
effect that no republicans were criminals were deemed absurd 
and disingenuous at best.  That said, Prime Minister Ahern 
wants a deal and needs a deal.  He is already focused on the 
2007 election campaign, hoping to go into that election 
saying that he helped put a comprehensive deal in place.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
5. (U)  Special Envoy Reiss has cleared this telegram. 
KENNY