US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI202

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000202 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/ERA, NEA/ELA, AND EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ETTC, EFIN, XF, LE, FI, EUN, EU-GAERC 
SUBJECT: FINLAND'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON EU DESIGNATION 
OF HIZBALLAH AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION 
 
REF: STATE 26062 [NOTAL] 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Earle I. Mack for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1. (C) Embassy delivered reftel demarche February 14 to Jarno 
Syrjala, MFA's "regional director" for Lebanon, Syria, 
Israel, and the Palestinian Authority in its Middle East 
Unit, and to Juha Rainne of the Unit for Public International 
Law.  On the same day, Ambassador met with Israel Ambassador 
Tzur, who gave us a copy of the Israeli government's separate 
demarche to EU countries with details on Hizballah's support 
for Palestinian terrorist groups. 
 
2. (C) In a follow-up conversation February 15, after the 
death of former Lebanese PM Hariri, Syrjala told us that 
Finland "is not keen" on designating Hizballah as a terrorist 
organization at the February 16 Clearinghouse meeting, but 
would not oppose it either.  Syrjala said that if the issue 
were only Hizballah's connection with Palestinian terrorists, 
Finland would vote for designation, but the Finns are worried 
about the effect such a step would have on Lebanese 
parliamentary politics -- doubly so after the Hariri 
assassination.  They see Hizballah MPs as still having a role 
to play in Lebanon's national reunification process, and 
until it is clearer who was behind the assassination, the GoF 
is feeling quite cautious about any new moves. 
 
3. (C) Syrjala also commented on the information supplied by 
the Israeli Government in its separate demarche, terming it 
"less informative than articles in Ha'aretz."  He said that a 
"credible picture" is needed of the links between Hizballah 
and the rejectionist groups if the U.S. and EU are to take 
effective joint action. 
 
4. (C) Syrjala said that the February 21 meeting of the EU's 
General Affairs and External Relations Council probably will 
release separate statements on the events in Lebanon and on 
the Middle East peace process.  A proposal for a single, 
combined statement was vetoed at the February 15 PSC meeting, 
since the EU does not want to imply that there is any 
connection. 
MACK