US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN1501

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001501 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, EI, YI, BK, IZ, AF, EUN 
SUBJECT: PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE: IRISH SUPPORT FOR 
RAFAH/PALESTINIANS 
 
REF: A. STATE 217518 
 
     B. STATE 209642 
 
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mary E. Daly; Reasons 1.4 ( 
B) and (D). 
 
1.  (C) Summary: On December 5, Post delivered ref A talking 
points to Siobhan Coyne, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 
Deputy European Correspondent.  Coyne noted that Ireland 
would strongly support an increased EU presence in Kosovo as 
part of the final status outcome, and she concurred with USG 
points about encouraging constitutional reform in Bosnia and 
maintaining U.S.-EU cooperation on the Montenegrin 
referendum.  Regarding the Middle East, she highlighted 
Ireland's November 21 pledge of euro 200,000 for the EU 
Border Assistance Mission in Rafah and also the GOI's 
decision to contribute personnel to the new EU police 
training mission in the Palestinian Territories.  She said 
that the EU would almost certainly make a financial pledge at 
the upcoming London Conference on Afghanistan and would 
review its assistance to Iraq once the post-election 
situation was clear.  She also pointed out that the December 
12 GAERC would likely call on Eritrea to end restrictions on 
the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). 
End Summary. 
 
The Balkans 
----------- 
 
2.  (C) Ireland would strongly support an increased EU 
presence in Kosovo as part of the final status outcome, a 
possibility that ministers will discuss at the December 12 
GAERC.  Coyne also noted that High Representative Solana 
hoped to have a report on Kosovo and the prospects for 
expanded EU engagement ready for the December 12 GAERC or 
immediately thereafter.  She added that Ireland 
enthusiastically welcomed the appointment of Ambassador Frank 
Wisner as U.S. Special Envoy for Kosovo, who will join the 
negotiating team headed by UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari.  Coyne 
also mentioned that the Irish Government concurred with USG 
points about encouraging constitutional reform in Bosnia and 
maintaining U.S.-EU cooperation on the Montenegrin referendum. 
 
The Middle East 
--------------- 
 
3.  (C) Emboffs conveyed ref B points regarding the 
Palestinian-Israeli agreement on Gaza border crossings and 
access, and Coyne cited a November 21 DFA statement 
announcing the GOI's euro 200,000 pledge for the EU Border 
Assistance Mission in Rafah, launched at the GAERC meeting 
the same day.  The DFA statement also noted that Ireland 
would contribute personnel to the new EU police training 
mission in the Palestinian Territories, which would begin 
work on January 1.  Coyne pointed out that GOI assistance to 
the Palestinians would total over euro four million in 2005. 
She also mentioned that the Middle East was not on the 
December 12 GAERC agenda, but that the December 15-16 
European Council meeting, to be attended by Prime Minister 
Bertie Ahern and Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern, would discuss 
the issue in depth. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
4.  (C) Coyne said that Ireland agreed with ref A points 
regarding Iraq, particularly the importance both of broad 
participation in the December 15 legislative election and 
also the impartiality of outside actors.  She remarked that 
the EU recognized the need for continuing economic, 
political, and security assistance after the election, and 
she believed that the EU would review its assistance to Iraq 
once the post-election situation was clear. 
 
Afghanistan 
----------- 
 
5.  (C) The EU would almost certainly announce new financial 
pledges for Afghanistan at the January 31 - February 1 London 
Conference, said Coyne.  She noted that Ireland would be 
represented at the Conference at the ministerial level.  She 
did not believe, however, that Afghanistan would receive 
substantive discussion at the December 12 GAERC meeting. 
 
Africa 
------ 
 
6.  (C) Coyne commented that difficulties encountered by the 
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) would 
be on the December 12 GAERC agenda.  She anticipated that the 
GAERC conclusions would call on the Eritrean Government to 
improve support for UNMEE and, more specifically, to end 
restrictions on UNMEE helicopter missions.  The GAERC also 
planned to discuss a policy paper on the EU's Africa strategy 
for the next decade. 
KENNY