Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 1

Written Answers. - Promotion of World Order.

Rory O'Hanlon

Question:

49 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will promote at the United Nations some world order in the supplying of arms, landmines and other weapons of destruction in order to prevent injury, loss of life and poverty and famine in nations who purchase such weapons when they cannot afford them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3122/95]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The Government is deeply concerned at the effects of the excessive accumulation of conventional arms, including landmines, in many regions of the world. This threatens international peace and security, frustrates the economic development of poor countries and often contributes to the repression of fundamental human rights. In accordance with the commitment in the Programme for a Government of Renewal, the Government is seeking to focus attention at international level on the need to address this problem. Because of its complexity, it calls for parallel action on a number of fronts.

At the United Nations, Ireland has proposed the elaboration of a Code of Conduct for Conventional Arms Transfers which would encourage states voluntarily to exercise responsibility and restraint in their exports and imports of conventional arms and set out common principles to be observed in this area. At the UN General Assembly, I have advocated this approach as one which would represent an important step forward in the area of arms control and which would give expression to the shared responsibility of the international community for international security in the framework of the United Nations. We will continue to work to this end.

The particular problem of landmines, with their horrific and indiscriminate effects, is a source of special concern and is now being addressed at the United Nations. Ireland has never manufactured or traded in landmines and refrains, as a matter of policy, from any involvement with this trade. Ireland is an original signatory of the "Inhumane Weapons Convention" which prohibits the indiscriminate use of mines, particularly in areas where there is a high concentration of civilians. The Government is currently taking steps to ratify the Convention. Ireland is participating actively in preparatory work for the Inhumane Weapons Convention Review Conference in September 1995. We are pressing for a strengthening of the provisions of the Convention, with particular reference to those which concern landmines. Ireland is also associated with measures highlighting the great importance of mine clearance activities and of moratoria on mine exports; and we co-sponsored the UN Resolutions on these issues at the last UN General Assembly session.

The Deputy will also be interested in action taken by Ireland at the national level in the area of mine clearance. The Government made available under the bilateral aid programme in 1994 a sum of £300,000 to Concern for demining actions in Cambodia, which were implemented by the Halo Trust. It also provided the sum of £73,000 to Halo Trust for a demining programme in Mozambique and a sum of £52,000 to the Holy Ghost Missionaries in Angola for the relief of mine victims in that country. The Government stand ready to provide substantial funding for demining programmes in various countries in 1995 also.

The Government is pursuing their objectives with regard to restraint in arms transfers in other fora also, notably in the framework of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and also in the Security Forum of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).