asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent visit by the Minister of State at his Department to Thailand.
454.
Written Answers. - Foreign Ministers Summit.
453.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the EEC-Asian Foreign Ministers' summit.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
The fourth European Community-Association of South East Asia Nations (EC-ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 24 and 25 March 1983. Ireland was represented at that meeting by the Minister of State at my Department. The meeting was held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere and dealt with a number of major political and economic issues of mutual concern. These included, in the political area, the situation in Kampuchea, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and in the economic area, commodity problems, global negotiations and the forthcoming sixth session of UNCTAD in Belgrade. The results of the meeting are set out in the Joint Declaration which was issued at its conclusion, copies of which are available in the Dáil Library.
As Deputies will be aware, the Minister of State availed of the opportunity provided by his presence in Thailand to visit the refugee camps at Kow-I-Dang and Nong Samet on the border between Thailand and Kampuchea. During his visit, the Minister of State met Irish personnel from CONCERN who are involved in a number of humanitarian projects in these camps. The Minister of State was most impressed by the excellent work being done by these young people.
Deputies will also be aware from newspaper reports that the Minister of State, on my instructions, spoke to the Foreign Minister of the Philippines about the Irish Government's concern at the reports of violations of human rights in the Philippines, and expressed the hope that measures would be taken by the Philippine Government to improve the situation in that country.