Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 1

Written Answers. - Common Foreign and Security Policy.

John Gormley

Question:

98 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on a statement made on 10 February 2000 in Lativa by the European Commission President, Romano Prodi, regarding attack or aggression against EU member nations. [8821/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen): I understand that Mr. Prodi remarked during his visit to Latvia in February that "an attack or aggression against any EU member state would be an attack or aggression against the whole EU, this is the highest guarantee".

Under the Treaty of Amsterdam, member states shall support the EU's external and security policy actively and unreservedly in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity. Among the objectives of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy is to preserve peace and strengthen international security in accordance with the principle of the United Nations Charter, as well as the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and the objectives of the Paris Charter, including those on external borders.

I do not believe it would be helpful to speculate on the particular circumstances which might be governed by the treaty provisions to which I have referred.