P R 131312Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL BELFAST
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1446
NSC WASHINGTON DC
INFO AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY DUBLIN 
AMCONSUL BELFAST

C O N F I D E N T I A L BELFAST 000005 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE 
NSC FOR ANSLEY; DEPT FOR EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  1/13/2029 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER UK EI
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRELAND LEADERS THANK SPECIAL ENVOY DOBRIANSKY 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Susan Elliott, Consul General, AmConsul Belfast, 
State Department. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
This cable was cleared by Under Secretary Dobriansky. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  On January 7-8, Special Envoy for Northern 
Ireland Ambassador Paula Dobriansky made farewell calls on 
Northern Ireland political leaders.  Everyone paid tribute to 
the Special Envoy for her efforts during the past two years and 
praised the role the United States has played in bringing peace 
to Northern Ireland.  Sinn Fein leaders were especially grateful 
for Dobriansky's support on the issue of devolution of policing 
and justice, but noted concerns about UK government funding as a 
potential problem.  Sinn Fein also highlighted other concerns, 
including the problem of former IRA members suspected of crimes 
who are unable to return to the United Kingdom for fear of 
arrest.  Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leaders expressed their 
sincere appreciation for Dobriansky's role in the planning of 
the May 2008 US-NI Investment Conference. Secretary of State for 
Northern Ireland Shaun Woodward also made a special trip to 
Belfast on January 7 on behalf of UK Prime Minister Brown to 
thank the Special Envoy for her efforts. End Summary. 
 
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Sinn Fein Leaders:  "On the Runs" Now A Priority 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2. (C) Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister 
Martin McGuinness praised Special Envoy Dobriansky for her work 
in assisting with the peace process, particularly the role she 
played on moving forward the devolution of policing and justice. 
 Adams noted there were other outstanding issues that Sinn Fein 
would like to resolve, including the status of "on the runs", 
who are persons charged or suspected of involvement with 
IRA-related crimes, who would be arrested should they return to 
Northern Ireland.  Adams spoke about the case of Sinn Fein's US 
Representative Rita O'Hare, who is based in Dublin.  O'Hare, who 
has been "on the run" since 1972, was unable to attend her 
parents' funerals because she fears returning to Northern 
Ireland. Adams said situation was absurd since if O'Hare were to 
win an elected position in Northern Ireland, she likely would be 
free to return without fear of arrest.  Adams and McGuinness 
provided further examples of problems facing former IRA members, 
including cases where former prisoners were unable to obtain 
teaching positions or even obtain a taxi license.  McGuinness 
praised Conservative Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Owen 
Patterson as having a very progressive attitude on the issue of 
ex-prisoners.  When asked about obtaining assistance from 
Woodward, Adams said that he had given up on the Secretary of 
State for Northern Ireland assisting with this issue, commenting 
that Woodward "promises everything and delivers nothing."  Adams 
did praise the work the Police Service of Northern Ireland 
(PSNI) has done in clearing names of some persons, allowing them 
to return home. 
 
¶3.  (C)  On devolution of policing and justice, McGuinness 
expressed concern that while everything could come into place 
legislatively in 2009, DUP First Minister Peter Robinson might 
say that without adequate funding from the British government, 
devolution cannot move forward.   He lamented that, while work 
continues on the mechanics and process of devolution, without 
adequate funding from the British government, the DUP could 
stall forward movement on the process. 
 
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DUP Leaders:  Praise on Investment Support 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson and Enterprise, Trade 
and Investment Minister Arlene Foster conveyed their thanks to 
the Special Envoy on behalf of the DUP (First Minister Robinson 
was out of the country).  Donaldson noted that Unionism is very 
interested in ensuring that peace and prosperity continue in 
Northern Ireland, and thanked the Special Envoy for helping with 
this.  Donaldson told Dobriansky that a delegation of Iraqi 
politicians had been in Belfast that day, and he was very 
interested in continuing efforts to share Northern Ireland's 
lessons with them as well, and in assisting in other conflict 
areas around the world.  Foster thanked the Special Envoy for 
her efforts to attract investment.  She acknowledged that there 
had been some criticism in Northern Ireland that the May 2008 
Investment Conference had not yet produced any new investment, 
but said her ministry would be countering this by explaining 
that it would take some time before investments coming out of 
the conference were set. 
 
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Other Parties Grateful for Special Envoy Role 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) The Special Envoy also met with party leaders from the 
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Social Democratic and Labour 
Party (SDLP), the Alliance Party, and Progressive Unionist Party 
(PUP), and all agreed on the need for the new U.S. 
administration to maintain the Special Envoy position, saying 
that the U.S. dimension in Northern Ireland remains very 
important.  (Dobriansky said that she had expressed her strong 
recommendation to the transition team that the Envoy position be 
retained.)  Alliance Party members noted the positive role 
President Bush had played in Northern Ireland, and  expressed a 
desire to be involved in President-elect Obama plans for the 
2009 St Patrick's Day events.  PUP Leader Dawn Purvis told 
Dobriansky that a recent survey had highlighted an increase in 
young people identifying themselves as "Northern Irish" instead 
of Irish or British, a positive indication of a desire to have a 
Northern Ireland everyone can buy into, and to break from the 
old sectarian divisions. 
 
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Woodward:  Special Visit to Thank Special Envoy 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶6. (C) UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Shaun Woodward 
made a special visit to Belfast January 7 to bid farewell and 
thank Special Envoy Dobriansky for her efforts during the past 
two years.  He praised her hard work and positive impact on the 
political and economic situation in Northern Ireland. 
 
 
ELLIOTT