Vol. 468 No. 2
14 Mr. Molloy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether the UN investigation into the bombing of the Fiji UN Camp at Qana in Lebanon by the Israeli Army with over 100 civilian deaths has been completed; and the steps, if any, the Government proposes to take in view of the implications of the Israeli aggression for all UN peacekeeping troops in Lebanon and for unarmed civilians there. [14651/96]
Following the attack on the UN base at Qana on 18 April 1996, the UN Secretary General instructed his military adviser, Major-General Frank van Kappen, to investigate and report on the circumstances of the attack. Following intensive investigations and discussions with the parties involved, General van Kappen completed his report on 7 May 1996. The Secretary General presented the report to the Security Council, which is still considering the matter.
The Government welcomed the report as a thorough, professional and objective assessment of the circumstances surrounding the attack. We made clear our strong view that all parties in conflicts should fully respect the mandate of UN operations and the inviolability of UN installations, to ensure that attacks such as that at Qana can never happen again.
The safety of civilians and of the UNIFIL contigent in Lebanon remains a priority of the Government. We made our grave concerns on this issue clear to the Israeli authorities during the recent conflict, both before and after the attack on Qana, and we will continue to stress the importance we attach to it in our contacts with all parties in the region.
The best means available for securing peace in Lebanon is support for the ceasefire agreement of 26 April 1996 and a commitment to negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in the Middle East peace process. The EU's policy in this regard was reaffirmed in the declaration issued by the Florence European Council on 22 June 1996.
Will the Minister indicate his plans during the Irish Presidency to move forward the peace process, particularly given the change of Government in Israel and the escalation in diplomatic efforts there?
Members of the European Commission were in Dublin on Monday and Tuesday and at a formal meeting on Tuesday I had the opportunity to discuss with them the situation now unfolding — that is the correct description of the position in the Middle East. We are firmly committed to the European Union's contribution to the Middle East peace process on the basis of the Oslo and Madrid agreements. That is the best possible hope for success in very difficult circumstances in the Middle East. We are assessing the position in Israel and the attitude taken by the new Government there. We are considering the possibility of holding meetings between the European Union, the new Government in Israel and other Governments in the region to assess the position in the wake of the elections and the recent Arab summit.
