Vol. 379 No. 4
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs having regard to the continued suffering of the people of Kampuchea and the plight of the quarter of a million refugees living in camps in Thailand, he will now initiate action within the EC to remove the ban on the recognition of the Government of Kampuchea in order to provide for reconstruction and development aid to be delivered to the State of Kampuchea by the EC; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
44.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason Ireland continues to recognise the Government in exile in Kampuchea, which is a coalition dominated by members of the Khmer Rouge who, as supporters of Pol Pot were the instigators of mass genocide murder and destruction within Kampuchea; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 44 together.
As I informed Dáil Éireann on 8 December 1987 Ireland believes that the Heng Samrin regime cannot legitimately claim to represent the Kampuchean people because it was installed by military intervention by an outside power. This view is shared by our partners in the European Community. On the other hand Ireland does not recognise the Democratic Kampuchea coalition since this includes the Khmer Rouge faction, whose appalling record prevents its recognition by this country as representing the Kampuchean people.
The presence of in excess of a quarter of a million Kampuchean refugees in Thailand places a heavy burden on that country. The European Community continues to support the programmes coordinated by the United Nations Border Relief Operation which is aimed at easing the lot of these refugees.
The Vietnamese occupation of Kampuchea has now lasted for almost a decade in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the fundamental principles of international law. In these circumstances it would not be appropriate for me to initiate action within the Community to provide reconstruction and development aid to Vietnam or to a Kampuchea which is so occupied. It should, however, be noted that, although official European Community assistance is not provided to the Vietnamese Government or to the Heng Samrin regime, the Community continues to provide various forms of humanitarian and emergency assistance to the people of Kampuchea and Vietnam.
Ireland remains convinced that the basis for a just and lasting solution to the conflict in Kampuchea is contained in the Declaration of the International Conference on Kampuchea which calls for the withdrawal of Vietnamese troops and the exercise by the Kampuchean people of their right to determine their own future.
