asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the Government's attitude to the announcement of major Soviet troop reductions in Eastern Europe, made by the Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, to the United Nations on 7 December 1988; if he will urge our EC partners, who are also members of NATO to respond with reciprocal troop reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Soviet Troop Reductions.
68.
On 8 December 1988, the Government issued a statement on Mr. Gorbachev's speech at the United Nations which included the following:
Ireland warmly welcomes Mr. Gorbachev's statement that the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in particular must no longer be an instrument of foreign policy: it is a long-established Irish view that an international order which is built upon mutual fear and military rivalry is inherently unstable. Ireland greets with satisfaction Mr. Gorbachev's announcement of unilateral cuts in the armed forces of the Soviet Union over the next two years as a very encouraging beginning to the process of reducing the armed confrontation on the continent of Europe. We hope that the talks which are planned within the CSCE context between the members of the North Atlantic Alliance and the members of the Warsaw Pact on conventional forces in Europe can begin at an early date and can reach a satisfactory conclusion by agreement on the reduction of these forces to lower levels.
Ireland and its partners in the Twelve share the view that the conventional forces talks, which are due to take place within the framework of the CSCE after the conclusion of the Vienna meetings, should lead to a secure and stable balance of conventional forces in Europe at a lower level. Our partners are aware of our conviction that such a balance must be reached through and actual reduction of weapons and forces.