Nora Owen
Question:14 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he made known his concerns about East Timor to the Australian Ambassador to Ireland as promised at Question Time on 2 March 1994; and the Ambassador's response.
Written Answers. - Policy on East Timor.
Dinny McGinley
Question:19 Mr. McGinley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the latest information on the atrocities in East Timor being carried out by the Indonesian Government.
Peadar Clohessy
Question:29 Mr. Clohessy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether Ireland has in the last six months taken any initiative at the EU or on a bilateral basis in relation to the policies and actions of the Indonesian and Australian Governments in relation to East Timor; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Helen Keogh
Question:37 Ms Keogh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether Ireland has in the last six months taken any initiative at the EU or on a bilateral basis in relation to the policies and actions of the Indonesian and Australian Governments in relation to East Timor; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Paul McGrath
Question:57 Mr. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the latest information on the atrocities in East Timor being carried out by the Indonesian Government.
Trevor Sargent
Question:66 Mr. Sargent asked the asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he used the Anglo-Irish Conference to protest at Britain's supplying of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia; and if he will be using this mechanism in the future.
Trevor Sargent
Question:68 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will introduce trade sanctions against Indonesia; if he is concerned by the Irish Trade Board's invitation to Irish companies to trade with Indonesia; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Nora Owen
Question:89 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the latest information he has on the atrocities in East Timor being carried out by the Indonesian Government.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 19, 29, 37, 57, 66, 68 and 89 together.
The concerns of the Government at the human rights situation in East Timor and at the actions of the Indonesian authorities there are well known and have been expressed in this House on several occasions in the recent past. Since I last spoke on the matter in early March we have been working actively in pursuit of our policy: I met with members of the East Timor Solidarity Group and obtained a briefing on recent developments in East Timor; we have taken the matter up with our partners in the European Union; the Irish delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights were active at the recent session of the Commission in Geneva, and we have discussed the situation in East Timor with the Australian authorities.
In so far as the European Union is concerned Ireland played an active part in ensuring that the statement made by the European Union to the UN Commission on Human Rights reflected our concerns. The statement calls on the Indonesian authorities to comply fully with the decisions of the United Nations Commission; calls for better access to East Timor for human rights bodies and the international media; urges that those members of the security forces responsible for the Dili massacre be prosecuted, tried and punished; and calls on the Indonesian Government to account for all those still missing.
A number of these points were taken up in the conclusions drawn by the chairman of the United Nations Commission in his statement at the end of the session. The Commission has requested the Secretary-General to keep it informed on the situation of human rights in East Timor and the matter remains on the commission's agenda.
In replying to questions last month I undertook to raise the situation in East Timor with the Australian authorities. This has been done. Officials of my Department have outlined to the Australian Ambassador the concern of the Government at the human rights situation. We have asked the Australian Government to use its influence with Indonesia to achieve an improvement in that country's record in East Timor. The Australian Ambassador replied that no country had been more consistent or persistent in defence of human rights, including human rights in East Timor, than Australia. His Government has long emphasised to the Indonesian Government the need for a process of reconciliation with the people of East Timor. The Australian Government were working for a major reduction of Indonesia's military presence in East Timor, for improved social and economic development, and for greater recognition of East Timor's distinctive cultural identity. Their concern at human rights violations would continue to be clearly and consistently conveyed to the Indonesian Government. They would also continue to register their close interest in the welfare of the Fretilin leader Xanana Gusmao.
Ireland is not in a position unilaterally to introduce trade sanctions against Indonesia. These are matters for the United Nations, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, or for the European Union in accordance with Article 228 (a) of the Maastricht Treaty. At the moment, while dialogue is underway between Portugal and Indonesia under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, I do not believe that there would be sufficient agreement within the United Nations or in the European Union to impose sanctions on Indonesia. The Government has fully supported, and will continue to support the United Nations Secretary-General's efforts, which we hope will lead to a just comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution on the question of East Timor's status.
Finally, I would point out that the questions of East Timor and of the United Kingdom's relations with Indonesia do not come within the remit of the Anglo-Irish Agreement and, therefore, could not be appropriately raised in the Anglo-Irish Conference.