asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the steps, if any, he has taken since March 1987 to promote support at the United Nations for a programme of concerted international action, including mandatory sanctions against South Africa; if he will give details of the dates and meetings at which Irish representatives raised this matter; if he will give details of the outcome of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Action Against South Africa.
20.
At the United Nations General Assembly last year Ireland co-sponsored a resolution entitled "Concerted International Action for the Elimination of Apartheid". This resolution was considered together with a number of other resolutions on apartheid by the UN General Assembly and was adopted on 20 November 1987, by 149 votes to two with four abstentions securing the greatest degree of support of any of the eight resolutions. Paragraph 5 of that resolution calls on the Security Council "to consider without delay the adoption of the effective mandatory sanctions against South Africa".
The Irish representative spoke in the debate on Apartheid in the General Assembly on 19 November. The Irish representative also delivered an explanation of our vote after the voting process took place on 20 November. In both the statement and the explanation of vote the Irish Permanent Representative set out clearly the Government's support for and advocacy of effective mandatory sanctions. Effective international action including mandatory sanctions against South Africa on account of her continued illegal occupation of Namibia was also advocated by our representative when delivering our explanation of vote on 6 November 1987 after the debate on Namibia in the General Assembly.
I should add that at the UN during the General Assembly there are frequent coordination meetings and exchanges of views among both the Twelve and the wider western group at which the Irish representatives press for the type of action which we wish to see.
I am arranging to have copies of the concerted international action resolution and of the statements delivered by the Irish representative placed in the Dáil Library.
23.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Irish Government accept the 1966 United Nations General Assembly decision terminating the South African mandate in relation to Namibia and the 1971 Advisory Opinion on Namibia of the International Court of Justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ireland voted in favour of UN General Assembly Resolution 2145 of 1966 terminating South Africa's mandate in relation to Namibia.
We welcomed at the time the 1971 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice affirming that South Africa is under obligation to withdraw its administration from Namibia immediately. This remains our view.