Bertie Ahern
Question:4 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meeting with the President of Finland. [10221/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meeting with Finnish President.
I meet with the President of Finland, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, on Wednesday, 15 May. The meeting was a most useful one in the context of preparations for Ireland's Presidency of the EU. Our discussions were wide-ranging covering in particular the Irish Presidency of the European Union, the security situation in European, including that in former Yugoslavia, the future direction of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy and relations between the EU and Russia.
I found President Ahtisaari's insight into the security situation in Europe and the situation in Russia of particular interest and value. The meeting also helped to highlight the broad similarity of the position of both Finland and Ireland in regard to the future evolution of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.
The Finnish President explained to me in great detail about the zone of instability along his borders and the reason he believes his country should play a prominent role in the partnership for peace, which is a change from his traditional stance. During the Taoiseach's discussions with the President, did he find that the President's views on NATO and the partnership for peace were different from the position of this country?
I do not know that the Finnish President said to the Deputy so I cannot comment on it.
During the President's discussions with me we focused on points of agreement, in particular in regard to the joint Finnish-Swedish memorandum on links between the European Union and the Western European Union where the joint position of the Finns and Swedes, involving arrangements for the participation by neutral countries in Petersberg tasks peacekeeping type operations under the aegis of the Western European Union, at which we are already observers, was developed in some detail by the Finns and the Swedes and there is a close proximity of view in regard to that sort of matter. In our discussions we did not dwell to any degree on the partnership for peace.
Will the Taoiseach explain how we would involve ourselves under the auspices of the Western European Union in the Petersberg tasks as we are merely observers and the Petersberg tasks specifically allow only full members of the Western European Union to participate with full forces?
That is one of the areas where change might be made to allow observers who are not committed under Article 5 to participate in peacekeeping operations. The Irish Government has already indicated a willingness to move in that direction. The Tánaiste did so, so did I and it has been set out in the White Paper. As a country we are interested in being involved in peacekeeping, it is important to make the point — and one of President Ahtisaari's most memorable phrases while here was that "Ireland and Finland are both world powers in terms of their commitment and involvement in peacekeeping operations". That is an indication of the importance of the sort of peacekeeping type activity envisaged in the Petersberg tasks area.
Arising from the Taoiseach's reply, he may be aware that while he and the Tánaiste were struggling to prepare the White Paper and agree a wording that would not be totally out of line with the Democratic Left policy, Fianna Fáil published a policy on this whole area and committed itself to extending the peacekeeping role past the UN into the EU. Does the Taoiseach not agree that it would be the view of the Irish people generally that extending our peacekeeping role within Europe should be done as a neutral nation and not in association with NATO, the partnership for peace or the Western European Union but should be done by making our expertise available to the European Union without being involved as a member of any of the bodies just mentioned?
I think it was a previous Government of which the Deputy was a member that decided Ireland should become an observer at the Western European Union and that involves us in participating in all the policy making debates that take place in the Western European Union.
As an observer.
But it does not bind us.
I think that decision was taken by the previous Government.
We are very proud of that decision.
I am being interrupted. Where has the politeness gone?
The Taoiseach is not an arch exponent himself.
If the Deputy would allow me.
That is not an interruption.
That is assistance?
The Deputy has caused a disturbance since he came into the Chamber.
I am only miming.
We have indicated in our White Paper on Foreign Policy that we are willing to look at movement in the area of increased involvement in peacekeeping operations. I believe the Government is willing to consider possibilities in the area of the partnership for peace. As far as the Western European Union is concerned, we are already observers and there are tasks of a Petersberg task peacekeeping kind in which we could participate without jeopardising our neutral status or entering into any commitments. The position is that we are indicating a willingness to participate on a case by case basis in possible Petersberg task operations of the Western European Union. I emphasise that it is case by case, in other words, the Irish Government will make an individual decision in respect of each operation and there would be no question of our being bound to participate in any range or type of operation. Each decision will be an individual separate decision and of course that approach is consistent with and is actually an expression of neutrality. Nobody suggests that a neutral country does not take action to protect peace. We do so already as neutrals under the United Nations but each decision is taken individually on its own merits and as we approach peacekeeping under the UN aegis so too would we approach peacekeeping under the Western European Union aegis.
We said that last November.
I apologise to the Deputies for the absence of the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Deputy Enda Kenny, who is abroad on Government business.
The apology is accepted.