asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, there are to encourage the calling of an international peace conference on the Middle East, particularly to find a solution to the Palestinian problem, if the Government will sponsor or support such a proposal at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - International Peace Conference.
3.
The Foreign Ministers of the Twelve meeting in Brussels on 23 February of this year, in the European Political Co-operation framework, declared their support for an international peace conference to be held under the auspices of the United Nations with the participation of the parties concerned and of any party able to make a direct and positive contribution to the restoration and maintenance of peace and to the region's economic and social development. Ireland together with the other members of the Twelve, made clear their readiness to play their part with respect to such a conference and to make an active contribution both through the Presidency and individually to bringing the positions of the parties concerned closer to one another with a view to such a conference being convened.
Will the Minister indicate whether the Irish representatives at the United Nations have taken any initiatives on this matter? Will he further indicate the Government's willingness to insist that any such peace conference should include the acknowledged representatives of the Palestinian people, namely, the PLO?
At present this is being pursued under the aegis of the Twelve. Discussions have taken place with the PLO and all the other countries involved. The United Nations believe that is the best way to proceed.
Will the Minister tell the House that the Irish Government's view would be that the PLO, the acknowledged representatives of the Palestinian people, should be direct participants in any such peace conference?
Our approach has always been to adopt the Community attitude on this matter. The Community, through the Presidency and individually, have had meetings with the PLO and Israel. The Deputy can be assured that direct contact of the kind I have mentioned is maintained between the Presidency and all the countries involved. There are countries outside the Community involved — Syria, Egypt and so on — who are immediately concerned as well as the PLO, the North African countries and Israel. It is a complex matter but the objective is to secure a conference of the kind I mentioned at which all parties can be represented. Side conferences can also take place so that everybody is fully apprised of this initiative which is favoured by the United Nations and other powers outside the Community and those immediately concerned in the Middle East.
Did I understand the Minister to say that the European Community had engaged in discussions with the PLO about representation at this international conference?
The European Community had their own discussions with the PLO and with all the other countries in the area to which I referred. Naturally, this is a delicate, sensitive and diplomatic process which is being carried out under the Belgian Presidency and which will be carried on under the Danish Presidency.
Did the European Community have official discussions with the PLO?
Diplomatic discussions on a bilateral basis have taken place between the Presidency and all the interests concerned, including of course the PLO. This is nothing new——
It is a new development.
It is not new. As a former representative of the Government in political co-operation, I distinctly remember such discussions taking place seven or eight years ago when the Venice Declaration recognised the rights of the PLO in regard to a Palestinian homeland.
These diplomatic discussions are continuing at present and, as I said, are complex and delicate. I hope they will lead to an international conference.
If the PLO are not represented at the conference, will there be a conference?
It is not just a simplistic conference. Discussions are going on at present and there are no arrangements for a conference to take place. So far, there has been a series of diplomatic exchanges between all the interests involved with a view to establishing a conference. The question of representation at the conference and its formalisation has not arisen.
If it is not true that the five members of the Security Council have agreed to the conference and that Israel have said they will not be at the conference if the PLO are officially represented, has a formula been worked out whereby there would be Palestinian representation which did not involve the PLO?
That is one of the matters being teased out.
Fixed, not teased.
That does not deter continuing discussions as to who should represent the Palestinian interests, whether it should be the PLO or another Arab country. Israel is also regularly contacted with a view to doing something in that direction.
Acknowledging the extremely complex nature of the Middle East problem, does the Minister agree that a peace conference which did not have the representatives of all parties in the conflict would not be able to achieve very much? It is essential that parties to the conflict are present at a conference of this kind.
That is the sort of black and white simplistic speculation that should not be raised at this stage in regard to any sensitive dealings in relation to this matter. Discussions are taking place with all the parties concerned and arrangements can be made to have many different views heard at the conference, side conferences or through representatives of one group or another.
Deputy De Rossa rose.
I am calling Question No. 4.