Vol. 391 No. 7
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the view, on behalf of Ireland or the European Community, that has been expressed to the Bulgarian Government expressing concern for the Turkish community in that country, who it would appear are being summarily deported from Bulgaria.
44.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has made any representations to the Bulgarian Government about the position of the Turkish minority in that country; and if he has requested the Bulgarian Government to accept the intervention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on this matter.
46.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise with the Bulgarian Government their treatment of the Turkish minority in that country; if he will impress upon them the Irish Government's wish to have this minority and their culture and traditions treated with respect; and if he will raise this matter at the next meeting of the European Foreign Affairs Council.
I propose to take questions Nos. 24, 44 and 46 together.
The Government are concerned at the numerous reports of violations of the human rights of members of the ethnic Turkish community in Bulgaria. Since we do not have diplomatic relations of any kind with Bulgaria, we consider that the most appropriate way to make this concern known to the Bulgarian authorities is through the framework of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). Accordingly, the Head of our Delegation to the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE, which held its first meeting in Paris last month, voiced our concern at the treatment of this community and pressed the Bulgarian authorities for assurances that steps would be taken to ensure that all Bulgarians can enjoy their full human rights and fundamental freedoms.
I am informed that the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has provided assistance towards transportation, care and maintenance of certain ethnic Turks who have made their way to Turkey through third countries. I also understand that he has made an informal offer of his good offices to assist in negotiating an orderly settlement of the question, but that this has not been accepted by the Bulgarian Government.
