Dick Spring
Question:337 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will be calling for the demining of rural areas prior to the repatriation of refugees in camps on the Thai-Cambodian border.
Written Answers. - Cambodian Situation.
Dick Spring
Question:338 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will be calling for a quicker deployment of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Dick Spring
Question:339 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his response to the gross under-funding of the United Nations Programme in Cambodia.
Dick Spring
Question:340 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his response to the growing support for the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the wake of massive government corruption.
Dick Spring
Question:341 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether a request has been received from the United Nations for the participation of Irish personnel in the implementation of any aspects of the Peace Plan for Cambodia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Dick Spring
Question:342 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will call for the setting of a date for the holding of democratic elections in Cambodia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Dick Spring
Question:343 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he supports Australia in calling for genocide trials for the historic Khmer Rouge leaders; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Roger T. Garland
Question:344 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if any Irish personnel have been asked to participate in the implementation of any aspects of the peace plan in Cambodia.
Roger T. Garland
Question:345 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will request a date to be set for democratic elections in Cambodia.
Roger T. Garland
Question:346 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he supports Australia in calling for genocide trials for the historic Khmer Rouge leaders.
Roger T. Garland
Question:347 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his response to the gross under-funding of the United Nations programme in Cambodia.
Roger T. Garland
Question:348 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his response to the growing support for the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the wake of massive government corruption.
Roger T. Garland
Question:349 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will request a quicker deployment of the United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia.
Roger T. Garland
Question:350 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will request the demining of rural areas prior to the repatriation of refugees in camps on the Thai-Cambodian border.
Eamon Gilmore
Question:351 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will request demining of rural areas prior to the repatriation of refugees in camps on the Thai-Cambodian border; if he will outline his response to, (a) the growing support for the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the wake of massive government corruption, and (b) the gross under-funding of the UN programme in Cambodia; if he supports Australia in calling for genocide trials for the historic Khmer Rouge leaders; if he will request a date be set for democratic elections in Cambodia; and whether any Irish personnel have been asked to participate in the implementation of any aspects of the peace plan in Cambodia.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 to 351, inclusive, together.
The widespread presence of landmines throughout the Cambodian countryside is undoubtedly a major hazard to the safe return of the thousands of refugees from Thailand to Cambodia. This very serious problem is fully recognised by the international community and by the United Nations. The UN is putting measures in train to ensure that border crossing points and routes are cleared of mines and other hazards, in accordance with the terms of the comprehensive political settlement.
The United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC), which is currently preparing the ground for the larger United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia (UNTAC), had its mandate expanded by the Security Council on 7 January 1992 to add training in mine-clearance and the initiation of a mine-clearance programme to its original mine-awareness function. Assistance in demining will also be a priority of UNTAC when deployed.
UN Security Council in its Resolution 745 (1992), adopted by consensus on 28 February 1992, formally established UNTAC and requested the UN Secretary General to deploy UNTAC as rapidly as possible. It is the Secretary General's intention to begin deployment in April-May. Ireland wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the Secretary General in this regard. No request has yet been received for the participation of Irish personnel in UNTAC. Two Army officers are at present serving with UNAMIC.
The UN Secretary General has estimated the cost of the UNTAC operation at approximately $1.9 billion. A detailed budget is expected to be presented to the UN General Assembly within the next few weeks. The cost will be borne by UN member states on the basis of assessed budgetary contributions. On the understanding that member states meet their assessed portions of the cost, the operation in Cambodia will be adequately funded.
In the latter part of 1991, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme launched their programme for the repatriation of Cambodian refugees, to be financed by way of voluntary contributions. This operation is expected to continue until the end of 1993 at an estimated cost of $116 million. To date, approximately $37 million has been contributed to the operation, leaving a shortfall of approximately $79 million. The Secretary General intends to launch a separate appeal for the further financing of the operation and has indicated that if there were to be a shortfall in funding, he might recommend alternative financing arrangements. The question of an Irish contribution to this operation is under consideration.
The deployment of UNTAC will ensure that the four Cambodian factions, including the Khmer Rouge, will be constrained to comply scrupulously with all the terms of the UN Peace Plan. It is hoped the involvement of UNTAC in the administration of the country will also act as a brake on corruption.
Security Council Resolution 745 also decided that it was vital that elections be held in Cambodia by May 1993 at the latest.
I have great sympathy for those who believe that those responsible for the unspeakable horrors which took place in Cambodia should be answerable for their actions before an appropriate tribunal.
As my predecessor stated to the House on an earlier occasion, the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide provides for the possibility of trial by an international penal tribunal. However, this remains only a theoretical possibility, since there is at present no international penal tribunal with jurisdiction to try persons for genocide. A role for the International Court of Justice exists under the convention but only in the case of a dispute as between states parties to the convention. This condition cannot be fulfilled until a Cambodian government in a position to be a party to such a dispute is in place.