Vol. 418 No. 5
22 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has plans for discussions with the United Nations relating to the placement of Irish troops on a peacekeeping mission in Yugoslavia; and if he considers it a priority in view of the European dimension to this problem.
On foot of a request from the United Nations Secretariat, the Government decided to make available 20 Garda and four Army officers for service with the UN peacekeeping mission in Yugoslavia, which is known as the UN Protection Force, or UNPROFOR.
In my reply to questions on 27 February I outlined to the House in some detail the background to and the mandate and composition of UNPROFOR. Since then, the process of deploying the Force has begun and it is hoped to complete that process in the course of this month. At full strength, the Force will number around 14,000 military, police and civilian personnel.
UNPROFOR has a central role to play in creating the conditions required for the negotiation of an overall settlement of the Yugoslav crisis. That settlement is to be reached through the active participation of all the parties concerned in the Peace Conference on Yugoslavia sponsored by the European Community.
In considering the question of Irish participation in the UN operation in Yugoslavia, account must also be taken of our involvement in the efforts of the European Community and its member States, carried out under a mandate from the CSCE, to bring about a peaceful settlement of the conflict there. These efforts include the continuing work of the EC Monitor Mission, in which seven Irish personnel are currently serving, and that of the Peace Conference under the chairmanship of Lord Carrington. The Government attach a high priority to the overall contribution that Ireland can make to the restoration of peace in the area.
