Vol. 542 No. 2
194 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he and the international community are monitoring the situation in Nigeria; the measures, if any, required of the international community to assist in this region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24342/01]
Ireland and our partners have continued to monitor the situation in Nigeria carefully. The Irish Embassy in Abuja keeps the Government closely informed of events in the country, including the recent deeply worrying incidents and the scale of casualties in northern Nigeria.
We welcome the many positive initiatives taken by President Obasanjo since he came to power in 1999, especially the efforts he has made to promote peace throughout west Africa. Nigeria's role in the region is paramount and its stable and democratic development is critical. The EU agreed a common position on Nigeria in May this year reflecting the high priority we attach to this issue. I look forward to working within that framework to continue to support the democratic development of the country for the advantage of all Nigerians and the west African region.
Ireland works to promote stability throughout the region in our bilateral contacts and through our membership of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council and the European Union. In addition to the EU common position, the European Union has also recently appointed Mr. Hans Dahlgren as special representative for the Mano River Union area in west Africa.
195 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he and his EU colleagues continue to monitor the situation in the Balkans; if he intends to make proposals to assist in the process of democratisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24343/01]
Developments in the western Balkans remain a high priority for the European Union. The situation in that region is monitored on an ongoing basis by the European Council's political and security committee and by the Council secretariat. Discussion of the situation is included on the agenda of almost every meeting of the General Affairs Council. At its most recent meeting on 8 and 9 October, Ministers discussed in particular the situation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – FYROM, the forthcoming elections in Kosovo to be held on 17 November and relations between Serbia and Montenegro.
In relation to FYROM, Ministers expressed their concern at the delay in the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement of 13 August and called on all democratic forces in the country to engage fully and constructively in parliamentary process in order to approve all the constitutional and legislative provisions of the agreement.
On Kosovo, Ministers emphasised the need for a massive turnout for the elections on 17 November on the part of all communities in Kosovo. In particular, they called on the authorities in Belgrade to support the participation of Kosovo Serbs in the ballot to ensure that that community is appropriately and effectively represented in the newly democratic institutions. Ireland is actively participating in arrangements for the holding of these elections. We have already provided a long-term observer to the Council of Europe which is charged with monitoring the registration process and will be providing a further five short-term observers to monitor the voting process. A further 30 polling supervisors will be provided to the OSCE which has been charged with the actual conduct of the elections.
The Ministers also stressed the importance of a constructive and substantive dialogue between the Belgrade and Podgorica authorities in order the decide on new constitutional arrangements acceptable to all parties for relations between the two republics, Serbia and Montenegro, which constitute the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. One year after the overthrow of Milosevic there is reason for cautious optimism for the future of the western Balkans. All of the countries of the region now have democratically elected Governments. An early intervention by the international community led by the EU has prevented a more serious outbreak of violence in FYROM, and the agreement of 13 August provides an opportunity for the different ethnic groups in that country to resolve their difficulties peacefully.
The European Union remains committed to the region through the stabilisation and association process, the objective of which is to consolidate over time stability, democracy and the rule of law in the countries of the western Balkans, reflecting their status as potential candidates for membership of the EU. Ireland is also an active participant in the stability pact for south-eastern Europe through which we are funding a number of projects in the areas of local democracy, support for the media and refugee return.
196 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he and the international community are monitoring the situation in Rwanda; if he has satisfied himself that adequate procedures exist to protect democracy and freedom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24344/01]
Ireland continues to monitor the situation in Rwanda carefully. The internal situation remains calm, although the situation in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo has potential ethnic and security implications. Rwanda continues to maintain a military presence in the DRC, but it has been largely co-operative with the United Nations observer mission in the DRC, MONUC.
The issue of the illegal exploitation of natural resources and mineral wealth in the DRC remains under consideration by the Security Council and the panel of experts which will report again to the Council in November. In the light of that report, the Security Council will consider what action may be necessary. Ireland will continue to work to promote democracy and freedom in Rwanda and to assist in the attainment of a just and lasting peace. We also fully support the international criminal tribunal for Rwanda, which aims to bring to justice those responsible for the genocide in 1994. Ireland has contributed over £13 million in assistance to Rwanda since 1994. The money has been spent predominantly in the emergency, rehabilitation and democratisation fields.
