Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 1

Written Answers. - Sudanese Crisis.

John Perry

Question:

127 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to correspondence submitted to him on 21 October 1998 from an organisation (details supplied) with 1,700 signatures in a petition regarding the position in Sudan; the steps, if any, the Government is taking to help the people of Sudan; the way in which Ireland will influence the Sudanese Government to reach lasting peace with a just settlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22098/98]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The Government fully share the concerns which have been expressed in the letter from the pastoral council to which the Deputy refers. These concerns focus on the need to help the people of Sudan and to bring our influence to bear in support of a lasting and just peace.

Through humanitarian assistance to the stricken people of Sudan, the Government is giving practical expression to the concerns of the signatories of the petitions. Our ongoing co-operation with Trócaire and other NGOs in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan also reflects our commitment. Overall emergency assistance from the Government to Sudan amounts to £1.4 million so far this year.

The Government fully accepts the need also to bring about peace with justice for the benefit of the people of Sudan. This was a central issue during my visit to Sudan in August when I pursued it with the Khartoum Government, the SPLA and leading figures in the regional peace initiative for Sudan of the East AfricanIntergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD. Both bilaterally and also together with our EU partners and other members of the international community, we are actively pressing the conflicting parties for an early resumption of the political talks process. We fully recognise that humanitarian assistance cannot be a substitute for a meaningful and inclusive political solution. Such a solution will require full observance of the principles of democracy, good governance, human rights and

Reason for Travel	Venue	Date
EU General Affairs Council	Brussels	9-10 November 1998
EU General Affairs Council	Brussels	14 November 1998
WEU Ministerial Council	Rome	16-18 November 1998
OSCE Ministerial meetiny	Oslo	2-3 December 1998
EU General Affairs Council	Brussels	7-8 December 1998
European Council	Vienna	11-12 December 1998
Bosnia Herzegovina Peace Implementation Council	Madrid	15-16 December 1998
EU General Affairs Council	Brussels	25-26 January 1999
EU General Affairs Council	Brussels	22-23 February 1999
Informal Foreign Ministers meeting	Wiesbaden	13-14 March 1999
EU General Affairs Council	Brussels	22-23, March 1999
Special European Council	Brussels	24-25 March 1999
ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting	Berlin	29-30 March 1999
EU-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers meeting	Stuttgart	15-16 April 1999
General Affairs Council	Luxembourg	26-27 April 1999
Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers	Budapest	7-8 May, 1999
WEU Ministerial Council	Bremen	10-11 May 1999
General Affairs Council	Brussels	17-18 May 1999
OECD Ministerial Council	Paris	26-27 May 1999
General Affairs Council	Brussels	31 May 1999
European Council	Cologne	4-5 June 1998
General Affairs Council	Luxembourg	21-22 June 1999
EU, Latin American and Caribbean Summit of Foreign Ministers	Rio de Janeiro	25-29 June 1998
EU-Latin American and Caribbean Foreign Ministers Meeting	Rio de Janeiro	27 June 1999
General Affairs Council	Brussels	19-20 July 1999
European Council	Finland	11-12 September 1999
General Affairs Council	Brussels	27-28 September 1999
General Affairs Council	Luxembourg	25-26 October 1999
General Affairs Council	Brussels	15-16 November 1999
Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers	not known	November 1999 (precise date not yet known
General Affairs Council	Brussels	6-7 December 1999
European Council	Finland	10-11 December 1999
Ireland-Iran Joint Economic Commission	Tehran	date not yet fixed

In addition I intend to make bilateral visits to Indonesia and Iran but no date has been fixed for these visits.