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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 1986

Vol. 370 No. 5

Written Answers. - Falklands Dispute.

35.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the immediate and forthright British rejection of the Argentine offer of negotiations on the recently imposed British fishing zone restriction around the Falklands Islands, the Irish Government using its uniquely neutral status in the EC will take the lead in co-ordinating the approach of the other member states on this issue within the deliberations of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Government would hope that a basis could be found on which both of the parties to the Falklands dispute could agree to negotiate their differences. It is regrettable that such a basis has not yet been found in proposals put forward either bilaterally or within the UN context.

The European political co-operation process provides that a common position of the Twelve has to be agreed to by all 12 member states. It is the responsibility of the Presidency for the time being to organise Twelve co-ordination. As the United Kingdom is one of the parties to the dispute, it has not been possible to arrive at a common Twelve position on this issue at the United Nations General Assembly. Despite this, Ireland will continue to support the mission of good offices of the Secretary General in assisting the parties to find agreement on a basis of negotiation of the issue.

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