Written Answers. - EU Foreign and Security Policy.
Ivor Callely
Question:
82
Mr. Callely
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
the Irish Government's role and input to date in the European Union common foreign and security policy; the implications, if any, of a common Europe defence policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Common Foreign and Security Policy of the Union, or CFSP, is founded on Title V of the Maastricht Treaty. The provisions of this Title were designed to enable the member states of the Union to develop their co-operation on foreign and security policy issues and to permit the Union to play a fuller and more coherent role in international affairs commensurate with its standing and responsibilities in the world.
Since the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty on 1 November last year and the inception of the CFSP, the Union has been active in many areas of international life and played a leading role in relation to a number of important issues. These include its attempt to resolve the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East Peace Process, the establishment of democracy in South Africa, and the development of the Union's relations with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Ireland has played an active and constructive role in the formulation of the Union's policy in relation to these and other matters under the CFSP.
In the period between the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in February 1992 and its entry into force, Irish representatives, including the Taoiseach and myself, were involved in discussions intended to ensure that the necessary arrangements and procedures were in place to allow the CFSP to be fully functional from its inception. This detailed preparation made it possible for the Council of Ministers of the Union to act immediately on the entry into force of the Treaty to adopt Joint Actions on:
—humanitarian aid to Bosnia;
—the sending of European Union observers to last month's elections in Russia;
—support for the transition towards a democratic and multi-racial South Africa; and
—the launching of an initiative for a Stability Pact in Europe.
The Government has taken the necessary steps to ensure that Ireland has made, or will be in a position to make, a full contribution to the implementation of these Joint Actions.
—An observer team, including four members of the Oireachtas, was sent to Russia as part of the European Union's effort to observe the parliamentary elections.
—Two Army officers have been seconded to the European Union Electoral Unit set up to identify and co-ordinate the Union's support for April's elections in South Africa. In addition, a team of 24 observers, partly made up of members of the Oireachtas, is currently being assembled as part of the European Union's arrangements for monitoring the elections.
—As regards Bosnia, the Government will arrange for the provision of the necessary additional contribution in humanitarian aid, once the key for member states' contribution of 24 million ecu has been decided.
It is the Government's intention that Ireland should continue to play the fullest possible role in the development of the CFSP. I am confident that Ireland, through its participation in the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the Union can effectively project its values and pursue its concerns in the international arena.
The Maastricht Treaty provides that the common foreign and security policy of the European Union shall include all questions related to the security of the Union including the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence. Decisions on the scope and content of a common defence policy and on the question of a common defence are left to future negotiations and, in particular, to the Intergovernmental Conference to take place in 1996.
