asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will comment on the serious lack of progress which has been made in the preparations for global negotiations between the developing and developed countries on international economic issues.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Global Negotiations Progress.
26.
At the Eleventh Special Session of the UN General Assembly on development matters held in August-September 1980, a text on procedures and time-frame for the proposed global negotiations was agreed on by all delegations except three. Discussions on the proposed negotiations, and in particular on the agenda, continued at the 35th Regular Session of the General Assembly and will resume again as soon as possible. In the meantime, informal consultations and discussions aimed at getting the global negotiations under way are continuing under the auspices of the President of the UN General Assembly.
27.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether an Irish Government representative has been invited to the informal meeting in Oslo from 4 to 6 April 1981 which will be hosted by the Norwegian Government in order to bring together members of like-minded countries and certain representatives from developing countries to discuss ways of getting global negotiations under way once more.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the concept of "like-minded" is one used to describe the very flexible and informal discussions which take place from time to time between some of the developed countries which have similar views and approaches to the question of development co-operation. The so called "like-minded" countries are not an exclusive group—in fact there is no institutional arrangement as such in their regard.
An officer of my Department will attend the meeting in Norway at which it is expected that representatives of "like-minded" developed countries and of some developing countries will participate.
Will the Minister state if the officer in question has overall responsibility for development co-operation? Will that person be given any brief regarding the shortfall in the contributions we have made to date? Will the head of the development co-operation section be attending the meeting?
My information is that the person in question is an official of the Department. I do not have his name.
Will the Minister ensure that the person who represents the country is fully aware of the issues in question and is not merely a nominal representative from the Department of Foreign Affairs? I am asking the Minister to ensure that it will not be a Third Secretary from the embassy in Norway but somebody who is actually handling the question of development co-operation.
My experience is that officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs who represent us abroad at such meetings are very well briefed.
Will the Minister ensure that, as a result of this question, the representative at this meeting will not be there simply to ensure that we have nominal representation but that we send somebody who has powers and expertise in this area?
I will convey that point of view to the Department.