Michael Creed
Question:14 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the Palestinian legislative council should be allowed membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. [22372/97]
Written Answers. - Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an association of representatives of the parliaments of sovereign states. I know Members of this House, including the Ceann Comhairle, attended the last meeting of this body in Cairo in September.
I am aware at the Cairo meeting, the Inter-Parliamentary Council had before it the report of the committee on the question of the affiliation of Palestine. However before the report was presented, the council decided to adjourn the debate until its next session in April 1998 in Namibia. In these circumstances I do not feel it is necessary or appropriate for me to comment on the question of possible Palestinian membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which is a matter solely within the competence of the council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.