asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he favours continued Yugoslav beef imports to the EEC and if not, if he opposed their continuance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Yugoslav Beef Imports to EEC.
22.
The continuation of Yugoslav beef imports to the Community has arisen in the context of negotiations with that country with a view to concluding a new trade agreement. At their meeting on 6 February the Council of Foreign Ministers agreed a partial mandate for the Community in those negotiations.
As the negotiations are not concluded, I feel it would be inappropriate for me to divulge at this time the content of any particular element of that mandate.
Without questioning in any way the competence of the Minister, why is he, rather than the Minister for Agriculture, involved in this question?
The Council of Foreign Ministers is the general council and all matters relating to association with other countries or groups of countries are put before the council. I assure the Deputy that any position I would take up at that council would be after full consultation with the Minister for Agriculture.
Would a continuance of Yugoslav beef imports be favoured by the Minister, or is that something which must remain a secret?
Our special interest in relation to this area and in relation to beef imports from any other source have always been highlighted both by the Minister for Agriculture and by me. The Deputy must take into account, however, the fact that there is a broad range of political interests between the Community and many other countries and that we must take these interests into account at any given time.
I appreciate that, but is it the opinion of the Minister that it is in our interest that beef imports from Yugoslavia be restricted?
If we were dealing on a bilateral basis with Yugoslavia, the answer would be yes, although maybe not to a very considerable extent. But we are not so dealing with that country.