US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN1360

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001360 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, KPAL, SY, YI, EAGR, MK, ETRD, BO, EI, EUN 
SUBJECT: PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE: IRELAND UNEASY ON MACEDONIA, 
TOUGH ON BELARUS, STILL PUSHING ON MILLENNIUM SUMMIT 
 
REF: A. STATE 198361 
 
     B. STATE 201513 
     C. DUBLIN 1094 
     D. STATE 199861 
     E. DUBLIN 1322 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and ( 
D). 
 
1.  (C) Summary: On November 3, Post delivered ref A and B 
demarches to Jim Kelly, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 
EU correspondent.  Kelly noted the EU's challenge in playing 
tough with Syria without derailing EuroMed diplomacy and the 
Barcelona Anniversary Summit.  He said that Ireland was not 
sanguine about the Commission's upcoming report on 
Macedonia's EU candidacy, but would be willing to consider 
candidate status for Macedonia without starting negotiations. 
 Kelly conveyed Ireland's support for a strong EU message to 
Belarus on human rights and democracy.  He also related 
Ireland's hope that the EU and the United States could 
sustain momentum on UN reform issues discussed at the 
Millennium Summit, particularly the Peacebuilding Commission 
and the Human Rights Council.  End summary. 
 
Syria 
----- 
 
2.  (C) As with Burma and Zimbabwe, Syria presented the EU 
the challenge of playing tough with a pariah state without, 
at the same time, derailing a regional diplomatic process, 
explained Kelly.  He recounted that the EU-Africa Summit 
process had stalled over Zimbabwe, with EU leaders unable to 
dictate to African leaders whether President Mugabe could 
participate.  Kelly conveyed his impression that the UK 
presidency shared the USG's serious concerns about Syria, but 
did not wish to wreck the Barcelona Summit, given the 
importance of EuroMed diplomacy.  He observed that Ireland 
had not taken a position on whether Syria should participate, 
as there had been no EU-level discussions on the point.  The 
question of inviting Damascus, he added, rested primarily 
with the UK and Spain.  Kelly noted, however, that the 
November 7 GAERC would likely approve hard-line conclusions 
expressing concerns about the Mehlis Report findings and 
calling on Syria to implement UNSC Resolutions 1559 and 1636. 
 
Kosovo 
------ 
 
3.  (C) Ireland expects that Kosovo will predominate among EU 
Common Foreign and Security Policy issues leading into 2006, 
said Kelly.  He noted that the November 7 GAERC lunch 
discussion would focus on Kosovo and include a briefing from 
new UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari on the state of play.  The 
lunch would also be the first opportunity to discuss UN Envoy 
Eide's early October report to the UN assessing Kosovo 
Standards Implementation.  Kelly observed that, like the 
United States, Ireland was more focused on the process, 
rather than the outcome, of the Final Status talks.  He also 
expressed Ireland's hope that all sides would participate 
positively in the process and that the EU as a whole would 
play a robust role. 
 
Macedonia 
--------- 
 
4.  (C) On Macedonia, Kelly referred Emboff to Robin Henry, 
DFA Political Division Deputy Director for Europe, who said 
that Ireland was not sanguine about the Commission's upcoming 
 report on Macedonia's EU candidacy.  Ireland expected the 
report to underscore that Macedonia still had far to go on 
reforms and that the Macedonian Government lacked control 
over the entirety of the country's territory.  At the same 
time, Ireland and other Member States recognized the 
imperative of encouraging Macedonia's reform process.  Henry 
commented that there was a precedent for giving countries 
candidate status without setting a start date for 
negotiations.  He added that Ireland would be willing to 
consider that option if other Member States were also 
amenable. 
 
ICTY 
---- 
 
5.  (C) Ireland fully concurs with U.S. points on ICTY, said 
Kelly.  He noted that the GOI welcomed the start of accession 
negotiations with Croatia, which had been made possible by 
Chief Prosecutor del Ponte's confirmation that the Croatian 
Government was cooperating with ICTY.  He added that Ireland 
and other Member States would continue to monitor Croatia's 
cooperation throughout the course of the negotiations. 
 
Belarus 
------- 
 
6.  (C) Kelly related Ireland's strong views on the need to 
send Lukashenko a stern message on human rights and 
democracy, and he acknowledged that EU strategy on Belarus to 
date had not shown results.  While discussion on Belarus at 
the November 7 GAERC would likely be a stock-taking exercise, 
Ireland supported the UK presidency's intention to initiate a 
debate on next steps, particularly with the 2006 elections 
looming. 
 
MEPP 
---- 
 
7.  (C) Ireland shares U.S. views on the importance of 
reenergizing progress along the Roadmap and opposing 
unilateral measures that might prejudice final status issues 
for Jerusalem, said Kelly.  He observed that it was unusual 
for the November 7 meeting agenda to have allotted only 
several minutes to the Middle East, as the topic is usually a 
marquis item.  He added that the GAERC conclusions would not 
only echo U.S. points calling on both sides to meet their 
Roadmap obligations, but would also cite the urgency of 
sustaining good will created by the Gaza withdrawal.  Kelly 
noted that failure to take additional steps along the Roadmap 
in the near term would risk the erosion of good will. 
 
UN Millennium Development Summit 
-------------------------------- 
 
8.  (C) Kelly said that Ireland fully supported Sweden's push 
to put the Millennium Development Summit on the GAERC agenda, 
since it would send a clear signal on the need for follow-up 
to the Summit.  He recounted that the Summit had been an 
Irish preoccupation, given Irish Foreign Minister Ahern's 
status as one of UNSYG Annan's regional envoys for UN reform. 
 According to Kelly, Ireland feared that momentum on 
high-profile Summit topics, such as the Peacebuilding 
Commission and the Human Right Council, would dissipate 
quickly as countries began to waver or advocate a longer-term 
approach to reform.  Ireland therefore looked forward to 
active, cooperative engagement between the EU and United 
States on carrying through the Summit's aspirations to 
implementation. 
 
Avian Flu 
--------- 
 
9.  (C) Ireland strongly concurred with demarche points on 
the importance of increased surveillance and international 
coordination regarding avian flu, observed Kelly.  He noted 
that the DFA was aware of links established by Post with the 
Irish Department of Health and Children to ensure bilateral 
coordination in the event of an outbreak in Ireland (ref C). 
 
Doha Round 
---------- 
 
10.  (C) Kelly explained that the DFA took its lead on the 
Doha negotiations from the Department of Enterprise, Trade, 
and Employment (DETE) and the Department of Agriculture and 
Food (DAF), and he referred Post to those agencies.  The DFA 
message on Doha, he noted nonetheless, was that Ireland 
"remained keen" to conclude a deal.  (Post will discuss ref D 
demarche points with both Irish trade and agriculture 
officials on November 4.  As reported ref E, Ireland has been 
among EU Member States that oppose further EU concessions on 
agricultural market access.) 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
11.  (C) The November 7 GAERC would only allocate several 
minutes of discussion to Iraq, focusing on formal approval of 
conclusions reiterating the EU's commitment to reconstruction 
and echoing the October 25 EU statement that welcomed the 
October 15 referendum results, said Kelly.  The UK presidency 
aimed to lead a fuller discussion on Iraq at the November 21 
GAERC.  Kelly noted that there had yet been no EU 
consultations on the possibility of contributing monitors for 
the December 15 election.  He related Ireland's view that an 
EU observer mission would be problematic, given security 
concerns. 
BENTON