Vol. 446 No. 1
8 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meeting with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister at Shannon Airport on 30 September 1994; if he has been advised of the reason the Russian President was unavailable for the planned meeting; the arrangements, if any, for his planned visit to Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [547/94]
9 Mr. Gilmore asked the Taoiseach the total costs incurred by his Department arising from the visit to Shannon Airport of the President of Russia on 30 September 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [548/94]
10 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Taoiseach the damage, if any, which has been caused to Irish Russian relations by the failure of President of Russia to meet with him at Shannon Airport, Country Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [565/94]
11 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the reason his planned meeting with the President of Russia did not take place. [881/94]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 11, inclusive, together.
On the proposal of the Russian side, in response to an invitation I had extended some time previously to President Yeltsin, it was arranged that the President would meet me on Friday, 30 September 1994, at Shannon Airport on his way back to Russia from his visit to the United States.
In the event, the planned meeting with the President did not take place. However, a meeting took place between Irish and Russian delegations at which a wide range of international and bilateral political and economic issues were discussed. I led the Irish delegation which included the Ministers for Finance and for Transport, Energy and Communications and officials of my Department, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Trade, Transport, Energy and Communications and the Irish Ambassador to the Russian Federation. The Russian delegation was headed by Mr. Oleg Soskevets, the First Deputy Prime Minister and also included Mr. Oleg Davydov, Minister for External Economic Relations and officials, including the Russian Ambassador to Ireland.
The discussions held were very worth while and led to agreement on a number of practical matters of considerable economic importance, including that the Russian authorities would introduce to the Russian Parliament as a matter of priority the ratification of the signed Double Taxation Agreement between the two countries; that every effort would be made to hold a meeting within a month between the respective Ministers responsible for air transport, with a view to finalising an air agreement between the two countries which has been under discussion in a joint high-level group on aviation co-operation and to pursue a wide range of other mutually beneficial opportunities in the aviation area where there is scope for further co-operations, including the establishment of a pre-clearance facility at Shannon for cargo consigned to Russia — a note on these matters was given to the Russian side; that the Russian side would proceed towards a waiver of export taxation on the quantity of aviation fuel exported from Russia to Shannon for use by Aeroflot; that the Russian side would take up Irish concerns about certain interpretations of VAT legislation in Russia which have had some adverse effects on the operation of Aer Rianta partnerships there — again a note on this issue was given to the Russian side; that the Russian side would send veterinary experts to Ireland, with a view to paving the way for a removal of the Russian ban on imports of bone-in beef from Ireland; that the meeting of the Irish/Russian Joint Economic Committee would be held, before the end of this year, with a new higher level Chairman on the Russian side and that, at the invitation of President Yeltsin, I would visit Russia in the first half of 1995.
Since then, I received a letter from President Yeltsin, in which he expressed his sincere regret that the planned meeting between us failed to take place. He indicated that the most intent consideration would be given to the practical questions raised by the Irish side and that relevant Russian Ministers and Departments have been duly instructed. I have also given directions for vigorous follow-up on the Irish side and our Ambassador in Moscow has already presented the Foreign Ministry there with a memorandum of the points identified for further action and met the Minister for External Economic Relations and the new Chairman of the Russian side of the Joint Committee.
In his letter to me, President Yeltsin reiterated his invitation to visit the Russian Federation and I intend to accept that invitation in 1995.
The Taoiseach will be off again.
I will indeed. If the Deputy thinks nobody should go, try telling that to the people of Shannon and see what they have to say. While I naturally regret——
The Taoiseach should come to Shannon more often to see the disaster left there.
Let us hear the Taoiseach out.
While I naturally regret that I did not meet President Yeltsin on the occasion in question, I am more than satisfied with the substantive progress made in the discussions we had with the First Deputy Prime Minister and his colleagues. My conviction is that we must now build on those positive results in order to realise the great potential for strengthening the economic co-operation and the friendly relations between our two countries.
It has been a long-standing practice — in line with international norms — not to disclose the type of information sought by Deputy Gilmore. I have no intention of departing from the view taken by successive Governments.
I will call the Deputies concerned in the order in which their questions appear before me. I call, firstly, Deputy Eamon Gilmore whose Question No. 9 refers.
In his letter to the Taoiseach, did President Yeltsin clarify which of the conflicting explanations given for standing up the Taoiseach on the tarmac at Shannon is the correct one? Was he asleep? Was he ill or was he just reading the report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Beef Processing Industry?
Was it Deputy Rabbitte's report, not the real one?
No, it was the part about the bad meat sent to Russia. Will the Taoiseach accept that what happened in Shannon was unprecedented and he owes an explanation to the taxpayer given the cost of this party which never managed to get off the ground?
There is a long-standing convention in this House that we should not reflect on the head of a friendly nation with whom we have diplomatic relations.
I was not reflecting——
It was not very friendly.
He did not reflect well on us.
Let there be no derogatory remarks.
The Taoiseach was left on the tarmac.
If some Members of this House regard Russia as an unfriendly nation the Irish Government does not. I have no intention of following Deputy Gilmore in providing a laugh by trying to be caustic about——
I am just seeking information.
Deputy Gilmore ought not to continue interrupting while the Taoiseach is replying to his question.
I am surprised at Deputy Gilmore who, not long ago, used to get money from that country. It was a friendly nation then. Apparently since it became a democracy it is not a friendly nation. I cannot understand why Deputy Gilmore is trying to shift his position. I will leave it at that. I have no intention of castigating in any shape or form, or of trying to differentiate between the explanations given at Shannon Airport or in Moscow. I regard our relations with Russia as good. I regard that date as left behind and I will go forward from here in the interests of Shannon and of Ireland.
(Limerick East): I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. In the discussions at Shannon on the use of the airport by Aeroflot, did the Taoiseach get a commitment that Aeroflot will continue to use the airport at present traffic levels? Are there plans to increase Aeroflot traffic through Shannon? Has the Government agreed with the Russian Government to allow Aeroflot to fly transit passengers from East European countries flown into Shannon Airport by other national airlines? Also, does the Taoiseach envisage Aeroflot being allowed to fly Irish passengers to places in the United States, apart from Miami, in particular to New York and Washington?
Some of the Deputy's questions are more appropriate to the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, the details of which I do not intend to dwell on here. However, I will bring the Deputy up-to-date on the progress made so far. I listed the areas put before members at the meeting for consideration and attention. Ambassador McCabe met the Russian Minister, Mr. Davydov, to follow up the issues raised by me at Shannon. Heretofore the responsibility rested with various Ministers, but since President Yeltsin's return, he has been given the responsibility of handling the issues raised by me at Shannon.
At his initiative a luncheon meeting took place last Friday between him and the new chairman of the Joint Committee for Business Co-operation on the Russian side and Ambassador McCabe and his colleagues on the Irish side. It clearly emerged that the Russian side had followed up actively on some of the points already raised. Instructions had been given to have a double taxation agreement ratified by the Russian Parliament before the end of this year because that is holding up a great deal of business between Ireland and Russia. The Russian Ministry for Finance has been asked to make a decision on VAT on duty free goods, a problem affecting Aer Rianta. Mr. Davydov saw no difficulty in Russian veterinary experts visiting Ireland before 25 October to sort out the ban on imports of Irish bone-in beef. The Russians confirmed their continuing interest in Shannon, not only from a transport viewpoint but also as a possible centre for adding value to goods for export. That is the response to a number of the issues raised and the others are being followed up. Some of the detail requested by the Deputy is more appropriate to the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications who I am sure will be delighted to supply the information.
(Limerick East): Will the Taoiseach provide me with that detail by way of letter?
I will. It was agreed also that the Minister, Deputy Cowen, would meet his Russian counterpart within a month regarding some of the problems raised by the Deputy and I believe a date for that meeting has been fixed.
(Limerick East): I would appreciate if the Taoiseach could bring me up-to-date on the matter by way of letter.
I will.
Will the Taoiseach accept that there is extreme concern in the Shannon regions generally about the future levels of traffic through Shannon and that Aeroflot is seen as vital to maintaining its lifeblood? Will he reply to the part of Deputy Noonan's question which related to maintaining Aeroflot's level of traffic through Shannon? Will he also answer the very important question about the possible freeing up of the regulations governing the type of passengers that Aeroflot may bring through Shannon, its ability to pick up at Shannon and take traffic from intervening airports using it? Will the Taoiseach clarify those two points as they would contribute greatly to increasing the use of Shannon by Aeroflot and former Soviet airlines generally?
In my reply I stated the issues raised with the Russian delegation that would contribute to more traffic for Shannon. Within a month a meeting will take place between the Minister, Deputy Cowen, and his counterpart to deal with the specific elements regarding air transport agreements. I will also supply Deputy Bruton with details of the other issues which I will submit to Deputy Noonan. In regard to generating more business from Russia for Shannon, I suggested measures regarding cargo clearance. We should generate more business for Shannon through cargo as well as passenger traffic. We are all interested in developing those areas at Shannon and I have no doubt the Minister, Deputy Cowen, will endeavour to get firm commitments in that regard at the forthcoming meeting.
The Taoiseach does not appear to be aware that his Government blocked the expansion of Aeroflot traffic to Shannon and has been doing so for the past year. Deputies Bruton and Noonan sought the Taoiseach's goodwill in this regard and in the final part of his reply he appeared to indicate that he would support the freeing up of Aeroflot access to Shannon Airport. Does the Taoiseach support the total freedom of Aeroflot flights through Shannon Airport?
I fully support the Minister, Deputy Cowen, in all his efforts to increase business at Shannon, there has been an increase of approximately 5 per cent in passenger traffic through Shannon.
That is not the question I asked.
Arrangements have already been made in relation to the uptake of passengers to some destinations, but that is a matter for the Minister. We will submit the full details to the Deputy as they arise.
Will the Taoiseach be more specific about beef exports to Russia and the visit of the veterinary experts on 25 October? He implied that their visit is only a matter of form and that exports would resume almost immediately after the meeting. Perhaps I am wrong in that assumption, but will the Taoiseach state whether exports can resume following that visit?
Ambassador McCabe stated that the Russian Minister saw no difficulty in Russian veterinary experts visiting Ireland by 25 October to sort out the ban on imports of Irish bone-in beef. That is the report I received from Moscow.
Are those the only telexes from Ambassador McCabe the Taoiseach read?
Another smart alec comment from Deputy Bruton who is frustrated because the people are not taking him seriously.
The Taoiseach did not appear to read them when he was Minister for Industry and Commerce.
I was amazed by his reaction when we got under his skin about the double standards and double think through which he is trying to fool the people. Does the Deputy not have a conscience?
If the Taoiseach had read Ambassador McCabe's telexes in the past he might have known that it was not intervention beef he was insuring.
Smart alec remarks will get the Deputy nowhere.
Has the Taoiseach read his biography?
The Taoiseach is a real glutton for punishment.
Time is fast running out for questions to the Taoiseach. Let us proceed to Question No. 12.
Ambassador McCabe puts a lot of information on his telexes.
Does he? We would want to get a little more information about the £10 million for foreign travel. I was trying to get to the bottom of it yesterday, it includes every civil servant that ever travelled abroad. One would think the Deputy was referring only to Ministers. He is very good at the sleight of hand business.
