Written Answers. - Eastern Zaire Conflict.
Ray Burke
Question:
39
Mr. R. Burke
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
the precise role and mandate of the UN special envoy to Zaire, Mr. Sahnoun; the progress of preparations for the Nairobi meeting in mid-March; the steps, if any, being taken to prepare a Great Lakes Conference as suggested before 1 January 1997, in view of recent rebel advances in eastern Zaire which have raised the prospect of a renewed refugee crisis; and if he will inform Dáil Éireann of the Government's and the EU's reaction to a statement made by members of the European Parliament claiming that there is no coherent and co-ordinated European policy towards the African Great Lakes region and which called on the international community to intervene militarily in the region to establish safe corridors for humanitarian aid.
[6593/97]
As stated in my written reply to the Deputy's previous Question No. 82 of 25 February, the Government and our EU partners are gravely concerned about the spreading military conflict in Eastern Zaire, which is increasing political tensions and aggravating the acute humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes Region.
In that reply, I also gave a full statement of the five principles upon which the EU has based its call on all parties to seek a political solution to the problems of Eastern Zaire and the region. These principles are the basis of the EU's coordinated and highly focused policy in relation to the Great Lakes Region as agreed among partners and set out in the Declaration made by the Presidency on 17 February. The concerns of the Union are also being made known directly to the relevant Governments of the Great Lakes Region by our designated Special Envoy, Mr. Aldo Ajello, who has been engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts throughout the region. In pursuing its concerns, the Union is working closely with the Joint United Nations and Organisation of African Unity Special Representative to the region, Mr. Mohammed Sahnoun, whose fivepoint peace plan has been adopted unaimously by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1097 of 18 February. The five elements of this plan are:
— Immediate cessation of hostilities.
— Withdrawal of all external forces/mercenaries.
— Reaffirmation of respect for national sovereignty/integrity of Zaire and other States of the Great Lakes Region.
— Protection and security for all refugees and displaced persons and facilitation of access to humanitarian assistance.
— Rapid peaceful settlement of crisis through dialogue, electoral process and convening of an international conference on peace, security and development in the Great Lakes Region.
In appointing Special Representative Sahnoun, UN Secretary-General Annan has requested him to use his good offices to promote peaceful settlements of the various conflicts in the region, with special reference initially to the situations in Eastern Zaire and Burundi; to prepare an international conference on peace, security and development in the region, as endorsed by the Security Council; to use his good offices to help preserve the unity and territorial integrity of Zaire and to help restore the country's national institutions, including through support for the electoral process.
Special Representative Sahnoun is working closely with the Governments in the region and other parties. He also has a co-ordinating role in relation to the UN's Humanitarian co-ordinators at both regional and national level. As evident from my reply of 25 February, the principles which guide the current approach of the Government and our European partners complement and underpin Mr. Sahnoun's plan and mandate.
The current efforts of the international community are aimed at the early acceptance and implementation of the Sahnoun peace plan beginning with an immediate cessation of hostilities. The Government of Zaire declared its acceptance of the plan on 5 March. In its statement of Friday, 7 March the Security Council has called on the rebel side to do likewise with an immediate cessation of hostilities, as has the EU in its parallel Presidency Declaration of that date. In addition the Council has expressed its concern about the effect which the continued fighting is having on the refugees and inhabitants of the region and has called on all parties to allow access by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and humanitarian agencies to guarantee the safety of refugees and displaced persons as well as UN and humanitarian aid workers. The possibility of an international mechanism to monitor a ceasefire is under active consideration by the UN Secretary General.
At the same time, the ongoing peace-making efforts of regional leaders and of President Mandela continue. Along with our European partners, the Government welcomes the initiative of President Moi of Kenya to convene another regional meeting in Nairobi on 19 March and the initiative of the Organisation of African Unity to organise a summit on the Great Lakes Region before the end of this month. The Government will continue to make every appropriate effort in concert with our EU partners for the effective co-ordination and success of these initiatives.
