Jim O'Keeffe
Question:114 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if a message of support has been sent to President Yeltsin of Russia.
Written Answers. - Message of Support.
The Government have supported President Yeltsin's efforts to bring about political and economic reform in Russia, emphasising the importance of ensuring that the principles of democracy and human rights should remain central to these reforms.
President Yeltsin is aware of this support. In the course of his stop-over visit on 29 August, Prime Minister Chernomyrdin briefed the Taoiseach on prospects for political reform. On 29 September the Taoiseach conveyed to President Yeltsin his hopes that the efforts which he and his Government were making to implement political reforms, consolidate democracy and to create a market economy in the Russian Federation would be successful. I had the opportunity of meeting Russian Foreign Minister Kozyrev in New York last week and I shall avail of future contacts with him to discuss the situation in Russia and how we can most effectively assist the reform process.
At our meeting in Luxembourg on Monday last, EC Foreign Ministers issued a statement reiterating our support for President Yeltsin and the reform process. It is now more than ever necessary that the process towards democracy is carried through, and that this should be achieved through free elections which would allow the Russian people to pronounce themselves clearly on their future.
I propose to circulate in the Official Report the EC Foreign Ministers' Statement.
Declaration on Russia.
The Community and its member states are following the events in Moscow with great concern.
They deplore the loss of human life in Moscow for which elements hostile to the democratisation process in Russia carry a heavy responsibility, for having deliberately provoked violence in the Russian Parliament and in different parts of the capital.
The Community and its member states reiterate their support for President Yeltsin and the process of reform. The Community and its member states stress the importance of early restoration of peaceful and democratic order.
It is now more than ever necessary that the process towards democracy is carried through, and this should be achieved through free elections which will allow the Russian people to pronounce themselves clearly on their future.