Vol. 491 No. 5
63 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to visit countries with poor human rights records with a view to influencing the authorities there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12586/98]
The Deputy will be aware of my visits to Algeria in December 1997 and China in February of this year. During both these visits, I raised the issue of human rights violations at the highest levels and I outlined these approaches in some detail in statements to this House on 11 December and 1 April last, respectively.
Looking to the future, my office is in the process of arranging a number of incoming and outgoing visits for the second half of 1998. Specific human rights issues may arise in the context of some of those visits but, at this stage of planning, no agendas have been agreed or finalised as yet. As I noted in my reply of l l December last to a very similar question from the Deputy, I am always ready to look at the question of visits to countries where specific human rights issues have been identified. However, a prime criterion in coming to a decision in this regard would be the prospect of my being in a position to contribute to a solution of any existing problem.
In addition to my bilateral visits, I will also be using the opportunity provided by forthcoming EU meetings and the UN General Assembly in September, as well as other appropriate international meetings, to raise specific human rights concerns. In this regard, I should mention that, in mid-June, I will travel to Rome to attend the UN Diplomatic Conference to finalise and adopt a convention on the establishment of the International Criminal Court, at which I will make a statement underlining the importance to Ireland of a successful outcome to the deliberations of the conference.
