Jim O'Keeffe
Question:38 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his reaction to recent events in Afghanistan; and the steps proposed to deal with the refugee problem and the denial of human rights by the Taliban regime. [8098/01]
Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.
The Government is deeply concerned at the deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan. We are particularly concerned about the tremendous suffering the conflict has inflicted on the Afghan people. The conflict, which has been going on in various forms since 1979, has resulted in innumerable deaths and casualties, as well as the displacement of millions of people and the ruin of the social and economic fabric of the country.
Through the United Nations, and together with our EU partners, we will continue to make every effort to promote dialogue between the parties in Afghanistan with a view to restoring peace to the country. As an important objective in this, we would insist that human rights and internationally accepted norms are respected.
The concerns of the EU about the continuing grave violations of human rights in Afghanistan, including the rights of women, will be made known at the forthcoming 57th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. These concerns are again being expressed at the current session of the UN General Assembly in New York, with the full support of Ireland.
Ireland and our EU partners have repeatedly called on the Taliban and other Afghan factions to respect basic human rights and to prevent gender discrimination. The Union's common position on Afghanistan was adopted earlier this year and urges all Afghan factions to end discriminatory policies and to protect and promote the equal rights and dignity of men and women. The European Parliament has also recently expressed its concerns about developments in Afghanistan.
The people of Afghanistan face a bleak future. Drought, crop failure, conflict, displacement, lack of access to health services and clean water have devastated the lives of millions of Afghans. Ireland and our EU partners have agreed to support aid programmes in Afghanistan aimed at improving the humanitarian situation. On 18 March, Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, announced a package of assistance totalling £953,000 which will address drought assistance, food security, health and sanitation. Concern and Christian Aid Ireland are providing emergency assistance to the most vulnerable among those affected by drought in Ghor province and Herat. The UN agencies the World Food Programme, WFP, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, are carrying out emergency activities throughout Afghanistan in the sectors of food, health, nutrition, water and sanitation. Clearly, however, their full effectiveness can only be realised in conditions of some peace and stability.
The terrible humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is our priority concern. However, Ireland, in conjunction with the EU and the UN, has also strongly condemned the destruction of statues and non-Islamic shrines by the Taliban authorities. We consider this act of cultural barbarism and religious intolerance to be a crime against the world's common heritage which will irreparably and irreversibly deprive Afghanistan of its unique historical and cultural patrimony. The EU has protested to the Taliban authorities and has requested a meeting with the Taliban leader Mullah Omar in this connection. Moreover, it is incumbent on the Taliban leadership to prioritise the rebuilding of the country, the renewal of the fabric of society, and the relief of the immense suffering and deprivation of the people of Afghanistan.
I assure the House that we will continue to make every effort to improve the situation in Afghanistan. Bilateral level agreements are in force, or under active negotiation, between Ireland and many of the candidate countries.
Membership of the EU by the candidate states of central and eastern Europe will help us all achieve more in the continuing battle against organised crime. An enlarged EU should also be better equipped to develop its relations with Russia and the other former states of the Soviet Union with a view to addressing in a more effective manner the question of organised crime throughout the continent. Several instruments already exist in this regard. For example, the principles of a European action plan on increased co-operation between the EU and the Russian Federation against organised crime were agreed in late 1999. This plan was developed further by the EU's multi-disciplinary group on organised crime and put in place last year. On a bilateral level, Ireland and Russia have agreements in operation to improve our effectiveness, especially in areas such as drug trafficking and organised crime.