Written Answers. - Plight of Kurdish People.
Ray Burke
Question:
9
Mr. R. Burke
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
the contacts, if any, he has had with Turkey and Iraq, in his capacity as EU President and member of the EU Troika, with regard to the serious situation facing the Kurdish people.
[17469/96]
The Government is deeply concerned at the situation in Northern Iraq, and has been working closely with its European partners to assist in humanitarian relief efforts for the Kurdish population, and to ensure the safety of personnel employed on EU aid programmes in Northern Iraq.
The sudden advance of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) forces and the subsequent conquest of Sulaimaniyah caused a major flow of refugees to the Iranian border. The Government decided on 27 September, in response to an appeal from the International Federation of the Red Cross, to contribute funding of £35,000 for humanitarian operations to relieve the plight of Kurdish refugees in Iran.
The Irish Presidency was also represented by an official from my Department at an urgent meeting called by the European Community Humanitarian Office in Brussels on 30 September. The meeting heard reports from member states of the European Union with nongovernmental organisation (NGO) programmes in Northern Iraq, and considered measures to alleviate the humanitarian situation.
The Presidency requested its representative in Ankara, along with a representative of the European Commission, to undertake a mission into Northern Iraq in order to assess the local situation. The Presidency also asked them to deliver a message to Mr. Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, underlining the Union's concerns about the safety of local aid workers employed by organisations from the EU, and to seek his assurance that the Iraqi/Kurdish aid workers in question would be afforded adequate protection in the areas under the control of the KDP.
During their visit from 19-21 September the EU representatives met with the duty officer commanding the UN Guards, representatives of eighteen NGO's in Northern Iraq and Mr. Barzani. Mr. Barzani gave the EU mission assurances that the KDP would ensure the safety of aid workers and their families working for EU NGOs.
The Presidency also instructed its representatives in Ankara to formally approach the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urge the Turkish authorities to facilitate the activities of NGOs operating in Iraq, in order to ensure that they can carry out their work efficiently and in accordance with their mandate. The EU representatives reiterated to the Turkish authorities the Union's support for the valuable work performed by these NGOs in the difficult situation obtaining in Northern Iraq, and stressed that the NGOs operated in accordance with the rights and obligations of international humanitarian law.
The Government, as the Presidency of the EU, will continue to closely monitor the humanitarian situation in Northern Iraq and will continue to co-ordinate closely with its EU partners, and NGOs operating in the area, to assist in alleviating the situation of the Kurdish population.
