asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason Ireland did not participate in the neutral and non-aligned group at the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Vienna; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Conference on Security and Co-operation.
16.
In accordance with the Community Treaties and the Single European Act, Ireland has committed itself to pursue common or closely co-ordinated policies with its partners in the Community. Therefore, at the Vienna meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, Ireland participated in co-ordination among the members of the European Community in all relevant areas covered by European political co-operation or under Community competence. For the same reason, Ireland participates in Twelve co-operation in the CSCE process generally where issues within Twelve or Community competence arise. It would be inconsistent with this commitment to commit ourselves to co-ordination in another group. At the same time, we maintain close informal contacts with the delegations of the neutral and non-aligned States, which permit us to work together in pursuing the many objectives which we share in the CSCE process.
May I ask the Minister if at any time there have been positions which the neutral and non-aligned groups have taken with which this Government have disagreed and on the basis of which they have avoided associating themselves with that group?
There has always been particularly close association with that group within the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe who, as the Deputy knows, recently reached successful conclusions in Vienna. We have had regular discussions and talks and relations are excellent between Ireland and these members. We are regarded by them as a bridge, as it were, between their point of view and the Community point of view or the views of certain member countries within the Community which may not be as strongly committed towards détente as the neutral and non-aligned countries. As a member of the Community and as a country we have had excellent relations with Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Eastern European countries as well but that does not in any way take from our basic membership of the European Political Co-operation system within the Community. We have been a help within the EPC process in advancing the cause of other countries which are also concerned about peace in Europe.
Arising from the Minister's reply, would he agree that, in the event of the Austrian initiative for membership of the Community being more advanced the time might well be ripe to rethink such formal structures as might be necessary to create a forum in which Ireland's informal practices may be given more formal expression in anticipation of there being a neutral group within the general EPC process in the years to come?
All that area is under discussion at present. Indeed both the Austrian Foreign Minister and the Hungarian Foreign Minister will come here within the next few months with a view to putting their point of view on this matter before us. What the Deputy raised will be part of the discussion, but no conclusions have been reached. The first aim within the Community is to achieve the 1992 targets and subsequently the question of enlargement of membership will come into focus. In the meantime very real talks are going on between all these countries and the Community. Indeed, President Delors has emphasised that the EFTA countries in particular should get themselves into a state of economic and social readiness for entry whenever it is appropriate to do so. That is the general scenario at present. I am against a narrow, inward looking Europe and I am very much in favour — and I think this would be the Irish consensus — of broadening the European Community. However, that raises problems of the kind mentioned in regard to Austria and its position with regard to neutrality and the State Treaty with the Soviet Union. There are a number of aspects of that kind which have to be overcome and they are being debated at present.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, can we take it that the Irish attitude to the Austrian application will be to encourage the acceptance of Austria maintaining her neutrality on joining the EC, that in principle at least we will be supporting her right to maintain her neutrality?
Our view is that we should devise a formula within the Community which can facilitate Austria while at the same time facilitating her position vis-á-vis Soviet Union through the State Treaty which she has with that country. That is the position at present but it is too soon to come to any final decision. All I am saying is that dialogue will proceed during the current year and the Austrian Foreign Minister in particular is engaged on a very heavy schedule of visits to various capitals, both in Eastern and Western Europe, with a view to furthering the Austrian position.