asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's attitude to the UN General Assembly resolution of 11 November 1986 calling on the Security Council to adopt comprehensive mandatory sanctions against South Africa.
Written Answers. - Sanctions Against South Africa.
29.
Ireland voted against the resolution in question in common with all of our partners in the European Community except Greece.
While Ireland supports the application by the Security Council of mandatory sanctions against South Africa, we continue to have doubts about the wisdom of calls for comprehensive sanctions at the present juncture. Ireland believes that the right policy of the international community is one of steady and graduated pressure for change through carefully chosen, selective, graduated sanctions, properly imposed by the Security Council and fully implemented by all. The text of the resolution contained other elements which were not acceptable to Ireland, such as singling out certain UN members for criticism in an unjustified way.
As I stated in the Dáil on 24 March the Government will continue the policy of opposing apartheid and working for its speedy and peaceful abolition.