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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 31 Oct 1990

Vol. 402 No. 3

Written Answers. - Discussions with ANC President.

Tomás MacGiolla

Question:

52 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Deputy President of the African National Congress, Mr. Nelson Mandela; and if he intends to respond to Mr. Mandela's request to make resources available to the ANC.

The Taoiseach had a wideranging discussion with Mr. Nelson Mandela at Dublin Castle on 2 July. Mr. Mandela expressed his appreciation of the support given by the people of Ireland to the struggle against apartheid and spoke favourably of the conduct by the Taoiseach of the European Council discussions in Dublin in June on the issue of Twelve policy towards South Africa.

Mr. Mandela briefed the Taoiseach on the stage reached at that time in the talks between the ANC and the South African Government on the removal of obstacles to negotiations. Mr. Mandela also addressed the question of participation in negotiations and said the ANC recognised that there were other parties in South Africa and that they, too, would have to be involved in the negotiating process. The ANC was of the view, however, that to secure a place at the table, participants should be democratically elected in non-racial elections.

Mr. Mandela emphasised the importance of a black community which is united. To this end, and despite its opposition to the Government's homelands policy, the ANC had already had talks with homeland leaders and had secured the support of the majority of them for the position represented by the ANC in its talks with the Government.

Mr. Mandela also spoke of the need for external financial assistance to help the ANC meet the costs associated with the return of political exiles and rebuild the ANC within South Africa. Mr. Mandela expressed the hope that the Government would be able to contribute financially to the ANC.

In that regard, I can state that the Government have made available the sum of £25,000 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for his special programme to assist the return of exiles to South Africa. Members of the ANC, of course, stand to benefit indirectly from such assistance. It may also be possible to consider the provision of other types of development assistance for the black community, as bilateral aid programme funds permit. Also, the Government have and are continuing to provide assistance to the black community through United Nations trust funds, such as the UN Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa. There is no reason why members of the ANC should not also benefit from such assistance.
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