asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, arising out of his recent meeting with the representative of the PLO, Dr. Makhlouf, if he will outline the position of the Government regarding the Palestinian problem.
22.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Palestine Liberation Organisation.
11.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions in Dublin with the representative of the PLO, Mr. Eugene Makhlouf; if, in light of recent developments the Government have considered extending any official or diplomatic recognition to the PLO; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
47.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he intends to meet Yassar Arafat; and, if so, when.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 22 and 47 together.
I met Dr. Eugene Makhlouf, PLO representative for Sweden with responsibility also for Ireland, on 10 February. The meeting gave me an opportunity to hear at first hand the views of one who was closely involved in the sequence of events which culminated in the US decision of 14 December to initiate a substantive dialogue with the PLO after a 15-year ban. Dr. Makhlouf explained the Palestine National Council decisions of 15 November 1988 and outlined the steps taken by the PLO towards advancing the peace process. In our exchange of views, I outlined recent developments in the approach of the Twelve, notably their commitment to work for the convening of an international peace conference under UN auspices as the most constructive way forward.
In relation to the PLO, the member states of the European Community, since the Venice Declaration of June 1980, have held the view that the Palestinian people and the PLO must be associated with any negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict. Ireland, for its part, has recognised the role of the PLO in representing the Palestinian people. International acceptance of that role has been very significantly enhanced since the Palestinian National Council decisions of 15 November, as is evidenced by the unprecedented level of support, including that of the Twelve, for General Assembly Resolution 43/176 on the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East. This resolution explicitly includes the PLO as a participant in the conference on an equal footing with all other parties to the conflict and with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. As I have already said, Ireland, along with her partners in the Twelve, is committed to work for the early convening of an international conference on this basis.
Deputies may be aware that Mr. Arafat visited Madrid for a meeting on 27 January with the Troika of Foreign Ministers of Greece, Spain and France who represent the Community on this particular matter. This was a significant development in Twelve policy. The possibility of my meeting Mr. Arafat in a Troika or Presidency capacity was mentioned in discusion with Dr. Makhlouf but the question does not arise at this stage.
The criteria in international law applicable to recognition of States are not yet met in this case, but I wish to reaffirm the statement I made in this House on 13 December 1988. The Government consider that in the context of a negotiated settlement, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determinatin includes their right to an independent State. It is our hope that the Palestinian State proclaimed on 15 November 1988 will, in the context of a negotiated settlement, become an entity to which Ireland can extend formal legal recognition.
Arising from the Minister's reply, have the Twelve adopted any attitude to Mr. Edouard Shevardnadze's initiative now in train to establish an international conference under UN auspices? Have approaches been made to the Twelve to deal with this matter under the EPC or, alternatively, has the Russian ambassador here or the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs contacted the Government with a view to securing support for the initiative underway?
The most forward initiative that has been taken by the Community is that it has established a Troika of Foreign Ministers which includes the Foreign Ministers from Spain, which holds the Presidency at present, Greece, the previous holder of the office of Presidency, and France, the next country to hold the office of Presidency. The three Foreign Ministers are now engaged in regular, almost daily, exchanges with all the countries in the Middle East. Apart from the countries directly involved, they have regular exchanges with the countries indirectly involved, and Israel, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Troika, representing the Community, is recognised as what one might call the honest broker in the situation seeking to achieve the international conference I have mentioned, that Israel and the PLO and all the other parties who should be at the conference are present, and that the Agenda proceeds on a mutual basis or recognition of Israel's right to her borders and the Palestinians right to a defined homeland that can be translated into a State which will get international recognition.
What borders?
The Minister for Foreign Affairs in his reply did not give any indication of support for the Russian initiative, which was the question I was asking.
The Russian initiative is subsumed by the EC initiative. The point I was making is that it is the Community initiative that is the important one in this respect.
The Russians have been towed away.
The Russians are aware of this. They are not honest brokers in the middle; they have a point of view to put. The Community through the EPC process has discussed this matter on numerous occasions over the past six months; I have been there and have taken an active part in the discussions and I am conveying direct to the Dáil what has happened. The Community Troika — and Ireland will be represented on it during the second half of this year — is the acknowledged player/broker in seeking to achieve the international conference. They are in touch with Soviet Union, with Mr. Shevardnadze, the American Government and all other countries closer to the scene.
What role have the United Nations in this?
The United Nations will eventually convene the conference. We have a certian order established and I thought I put it plainly. The Community will seek by these talks to reach a stage where an international conference can be held. At that stage it will be held under the auspices of the United Nations but in these early stages of very delicate and sensitive negotiations the United Nations as such are not directly involved although, of course, they are indirectly involved to a major extent and they will convene the conference ultimately.
The UN have a huge role to play.
Order.
Will the Minister indicate what response he has made to Dr. Makhlouf's anxiety, which he expressed to the Deputies in this House when he met them some days ago, that the impetus in seeking the interntional conference may be lost unless there are early moves towards convening such a conference? He was concerned that the very generous steps which the Palestine National Council have taken to move forward may be lost if some pressure is not exerted on those States that are blocking progress at present.
I assured Dr. Makhlouf, and he accepts it, that we were concerned about the early calling of a conference. This is important, but you must have all the players in place before you have the conference. Dr. Makhlouf expressed very deep regard for and emphasised the fact that the EC had taken on the role of broker. Indeed, I met Dr. Makhlouf two weeks ago and a week ago the Troika was taking action along the lines I had mentioned to him. Over the past week they have been in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and they reported back to us yesterday in Brussels. This work is going on all the time. Naturally Dr. Makhlouf is anxious, and I respect him for that, to secure a conference as soon as possible. I share that view, and I hope the American Government above all is equally seized of the importance of just that. I am hopeful that the new American Administration will adopt a more forward-looking attitude because they have great influence in this area, in particular vis-á-vis Israel. I believe that this U.S. Administration will be far more forward-looking in its approach.
The recent statement was helpful in that regard.
It was very helpful.
Arising from the Minister's very long complete reply as to the nature of the Troika's operations, can I take it that the Troika has been delegated the authority by the EPC process or is it merely a functional group?
No, it is a delegated process by the EPC and it is used in occasions like this to act as an honest broker. It is not the first time this process has been used. The Troika comprises of the Foreign Ministers from the sitting Presidency, the previous holder, and the next holder. In this case it is Greece, Spain and France that are involved and from 1 July onwards Spain, France and ourselves will be involved.