asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise the question of the denial of human rights by the right wing ruling junta in Chile at the United Nations General Assembly this autumn and press for a trade embargo on that country by all members of the United Nations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Human Rights Violations.
35.
I am naturally concerned at reports that violations of human rights may be continuing in Chile. However, the question of violations of human rights in Chile, which has been debated at recent sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, is already inscribed on the agenda of the 32nd session which is now meeting in New York. Accordingly, it is not necessary to ask that it be considered. The issue will be discussed in the first instance in the Third Committee of the Assembly—probably within the next few weeks.
When it comes to debate the question the committee will have before it a report of the ad hoc committee set up in 1975 by the Commission on Human Rights to study violations of human rights in Chile. This report is not yet available. When it is, I will consider in the light of its findings the position we should adopt in the debate.
The Deputy will appreciate, I am sure, that until I have had an opportunity to see and consider this report I would not be in a position to say in detail what our position will be.
However, on the question of an embargo—that is, in effect, sanctions—I can say that Ireland has consistently expressed the view that sanctions on any state would be effective only if they were imposed by the Security Council since only the council can make such sanctions mandatory and ensure that they are universally applied. The charter of the United Nations provides that the Security Council may impose mandatory sanctions in cases where it determines that a situation poses a grave threat to international peace and security. The question of violations of human rights in Chile has not been taken up by the Security Council and it is in any event questionable whether the council would be willing to decide that the situation there—regrettable as it may be—constitutes a threat to international peace and security, since no other country is involved.
I realise that the Minister is now a member of the Government and is thereby somewhat restricted but as a member of the Opposition he spoke on a human rights platform with regard to Chile and I doubt if he seriously disputes the denial of human rights in that country. I urge him to press for the strongest action to be taken by the UN and commit the full support of his Government to that.
I assure the Deputy that my opinion has not changed at all since I spoke as a Member of the Opposition. The Deputy will appreciate that we cannot take effective action at UN level until such time as this report is available. I hope it will be available in the next couple of weeks. I can assure the Deputy that it is now, as it was during the last Dáil, a matter on which I hope we will all have a common interest and a bipartisan concern.
The Minister has outlined the situation in relation to Chile but not whether there is anything happening at UN level in relation to the denial of human rights in many other countries. Are the Government taking any action on the broad question of the denial of human rights all over the world?
That is a separate question.
It is a separate question but I can assure the Deputy that we are acting on a consistent front with the UN and are supporting the appointment of a special UN commissioner on human rights and many other actions. They will prove the consistency of our stance in this area.
The remaining questions will appear on the Order Paper for the next sitting day of the Dáil.