Trevor Sargent
Question:1 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Yasser Arafat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12047/99]
Ceisteanna–Questions. - Official Engagements.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:2 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meeting on 3 May 1999 with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Yasser Arafat; the matters discussed; and the conclusions, if any, reached. [12059/99]
John Bruton
Question:3 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Yasser Arafat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12924/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3 together.
I met with the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mr. Yasser Arafat, in Dublin on Monday, 3 May. The visit was part of an extensive tour of capitals which President Arafat has undertaken. He was accompanied by the Palestinian National Authority's Minister for Planning and International Co-operation, Mr. Nabil Shaath, and the Minister for Information and Culture, Mr. Abdar Rabbo. I had a brief private meeting with President Arafat, followed by a working dinner where we were joined by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Woods.
We discussed the current state of the Middle-East Peace Process. President Arafat informed me that the Palestinian National Authority was awaiting the outcome of the then upcoming Israeli elections. Whatever the results of the election, President Arafat expected that international pressure, particularly from the US, would be put on Israel, to meet its obligations. President Arafat believes that President Clinton is personally com mitted to solving the impasse arising from the non-implementation of the Wye Agreement. I expressed the hope that the peace process would be revived as quickly as possible after the formation of the new Israeli Government. I reaffirmed to President Arafat that together with our partners in the European Union, Ireland fully supported the peace process and would continue to press for the immediate implementation of the Wye River agreement.
We discussed the terms of the declaration made by the European Council in Berlin on 24-25 March. President Arafat indicated this was extremely important in the deliberations of the Central Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation which resulted in the deferral of the decision to declare an independent Palestinian State. I informed President Arafat that I had strongly supported the EU Declaration and welcomed this decision which was a tribute to his skilful leadership.
President Arafat also outlined continuing Israeli practices in relation to, for instance, trade, free movement of individuals, access to water and the expansion of Israeli settlements.
I informed President Arafat that the Irish Government is proposing to establish a Representative Office in Ramallah and that all necessary arrangements would be made to give effect to this. In the context of the Representative Office, we discussed Irish aid levels to Palestine. Ireland is currently operating an aid programme of about £2 million a year in the Occupied Territories. I also briefed President Arafat on Ireland's SECCO campaign. While the Palestinian National Authority has no vote in the elections, its support for our campaign would be very beneficial amongst its Arab neighbours.
I was happy to accept President Arafat's invitation to become a member of the Bethlehem 2000 Committee. I intend that my membership will signal support for what will be a major world religious and cultural event.
I also took the opportunity to brief President Arafat on the latest position in the Northern Ireland peace process.
As Deputies are aware, the Israeli electorate has given the leader of the One Israel Party, formerly Labour Party, Mr. Ehud Barak, a decisive victory in the election there. He is now in the process of forming a Government.
I have written to Mr. Barak, congratulating him on his victory. I have wished him success in reviving and reinvigorating the Middle East peace process and have assured him of my support and that of my colleagues in the European Union in this regard.
The tasks that face Mr. Barak and his Government are indeed formidable. They include the urgent implementation of the Wye River agreement and the launching and conclusion of the "Final Status" negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, I hope within a framework of one year. He has also given very firm commitments about reaching final settlements with Syria and Lebanon. I am confident the House joins me in wishing him well in all his tasks.
Did Mr. Arafat ask the Taoiseach if the Irish Government recognised the Palestinian state? What discussions has the Taoiseach had with his European counterparts on this issue? What contacts has he had or is he planning to have with the Israeli Prime Minister elect, Mr. Barak? What effect will the election of Mr. Barak have on the peace process? In view of the missile attacks in Israel this morning, has he received any reports on the security implications for Irish UN personnel serving in the area?
The election of Mr. Barak will be seen as a positive move. There has not been any movement over the past year or so. We have discussed this matter at Question Time on at least one or two occasions over the past year. The decisive victory for Mr. Barak will give him confidence to move to settle a number of issues, including the Wye River agreement and to reach a settlement with Mr. Yasser Arafat.
The resolution of this issue will involve negotiation and the EU's position is set down in the statement made during the summit on 24 and 25 March. Palestine would not have received full support from EU countries if it had moved before the election. This tactical position, which it was urged to take in that statement and by the United States and others, means it will receive recognition and support internationally in the negotiations which will take place shortly. This is the Irish position.
I did not receive any reports this morning about the situation in the Lebanon. However, there are ongoing and regular attacks and the Irish troops are in a difficult position because they are located in an area which divides the two sides. The situation was not overly difficult in the run up to the elections but I understand the soldiers are on constant alert because there have been several attacks since the beginning of this year.
Will the declaration of the Palestinian state, when it is made, be responded to in unison by European Union member states and not individually as was the disastrous experience with regard to Croatia? Has the Government any plans to increase the current £2 million in aid, to which the Taoiseach referred, in light of the probable movement forward by the successful Labour Party-led alliance in Israel? The removal of troops from south Lebanon and the reinvigoration of the Oslo peace accords will hopefully bring about a settlement, but this will require massive economic transfers above and beyond the amount Palestine is currently receiving.
In that context, is the Taoiseach aware that students from Palestine who apply for visas so they can come to study in Ireland are discriminated against by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in that they are told that if their wives seek to join them in Ireland, they will not be granted visas. I am not sure if the Taoiseach is aware that this is standard practice in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A number of Palestinian people come to Ireland, particularly to pursue medical studies, but they are subsequently informed that their wives cannot join them. In light of the concrete support that can be given to the emerging state of Palestine following the Labour Party victory in Israel, are there any plans to increase the amount of tangible aid to it?
In terms of future developments, it should be an EU decision. The member states should collectively support the new Palestinian state and I have made this point at EU meetings over recent years. The issue of Ireland's aid programmes is under review. I discussed the use and requirements of the operating aid programme with the Department of Foreign Affairs and it is following up those discussions.
I am not aware of the difficulty regarding permits. There are a number of Palestinian students in Ireland but I do not know what distinctions are drawn. I suggest the Deputy raise the matter with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I will also mention it to him.
A great opportunity now exists. Mr. Barak received a strong mandate following the election campaign which lasted five and a half months. The campaign was based on the peace process and trying to resolve the difficulties Israel has with Syria, the Lebanon and President Arafat. Mr. Barak set out his intentions on these issues and campaigned on that basis. Young people in Israel in particular support the furthering of the peace process. This was clear over recent months, but people across Israel showed their support for the process. They want reconciliation and progress on this issue. For our part, we will do anything we can. President Arafat has travelled to Ireland over many years to visit supporters and successive Governments. I have had numerous contacts with him in the past two years and will support him in any way possible.
One million people live in Gaza, which has an unemployment rate of about 80 per cent. Is the Taoiseach aware that half its population will not have access to adequate clean water supplies this summer because the infrastructure is run down and the area has been isolated by Israel?
I am aware of that. When I was in Israel and the Palestinian area in January, this was one of the many major issues of concern. A series of events has put people in an appalling position. In some cases the international community has already offered assistance, but those offers have not been accepted and blockages have been put in their way. In my view the people are treated in a deplorable way at borders and other facilities and when applying for homes and basic services. All these matters must be dealt with by the new Administration. The outgoing Prime Minister frustrated many good offers made by the West.
While Prime Minister designate Barak's victory is welcome in that it gives him a mandate to take action under the peace process, he is committed to a policy of expanding the existing settlements on the occupied territories which has the same effect as creating new settlements. Does the Taoiseach agree this policy of the new Israeli Government is not conducive to the peace process?
It is a question of how the policy is interpreted. From my discussions in the EU, I think there is plenty of movement within his policy on where settlements can be achieved. On some issues he cannot be flexible but given what has happened during the outgoing Prime Minister's term, the international community and people in Israel believe adequate movement will be made. I hope this is the case and that people will not fall back on positions. Within Mr. Barak's stated campaign positions, there is every confidence that progress can be made.
The Taoiseach said the Government was considering establishing a representative office in Ramullah. Will he indicate the status of the diplomat posted there and when the office is likely to be opened?
It will be a representative office with responsibility for keeping in touch with the authorities and the aid programmes. We hope it will open later this year or early next year. Discussions have already started and we discussed it in detail at the meeting with President Arafat.