Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 1

Written Answers. - UN Security Council.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

13 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the criticism made of the Government's performance on the UN Security Council by a person (details supplied); if his attention has further been drawn to similar criticism issued by Amnesty International; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3756/02]

Ireland has been a member of the Security Council for just over a year. Our membership of the council has provided us with an opportunity to promote Ireland's broad foreign policy interests, values and objectives. I believe that we have managed to do that and at the same time to make a very constructive contribution to the work of the council.

We have sought at all times to stress the need to address the root causes of conflict, to respect principles of international law, to promote fundamental human rights, with particular emphasis on the status of women and children, and to eradicate poverty. When dealing with conflict situations, we have consistently stressed the need to focus on the humanitarian situation of those affected.

As members of the Security Council, we have been obliged to address conflict situations across the globe – Afghanistan, the Congo, Palestine and many others. We have sought to address every issue which has arisen objectively, on its merits, consistent with our values. We have not engaged in high rhetoric, we have resisted the temptation to climb on the soap-box and sound off. Rather we have worked painstakingly, with our partners on the council, with other member states and with UN officials and NGOs to persuade and encourage those involved in conflict and other members of the council to follow what we believe to be the right course towards compromise and resolution.

It is not easy for a small, non-permanent member of the council to take a leading role on the council. Certainly, we have not achieved all that we would like. I refer in particular, to the situation in the Middle East. Nevertheless, I believe that we have established a significant standing and influence on the council. As a result, our contribution to conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peace-building, the promotion of human rights and addressing the humanitarian needs of populations in crisis has been of the highest order.
Those members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs who travelled to New York last October, during our presidency of the council, know and value this. The quality of our efforts has also been generously recognised by many who are in a position to closely follow the workings of the council.
I regret that what the Deputy describes as the "criticism" of the Government's performance on the Security Council is essentially founded on a contention that the US acted illegally under international law in seeking to defend itself against the attacks of 11 September.
We have debated this issue on several occasions in this House. I know that there are differing and perhaps even irreconcilable views on the matter. For my part, I believe that the Government was right to agree with the UN Secretary General who made clear to the members of the Oireachtas joint committee his view that the US had the right, recognised under Article 51 of the UN Charter, to act in self-defence. I also still believe that the Government was right, acting in conformity with Security Council Resolution 1368, to offer assistance in bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 11 September attacks and those who aided and abetted them. The number of al-Qaeda fighters found to be present in Afghanistan exceeded the worst fears of the international community and demonstrated that Afghanistan under the Taliban had become a terrorist training camp.
I am disappointed that the arguments made by the person in question have been presented as a general criticism of our performance on the Security Council. This is both inaccurate and unwarranted.
As regards the Deputy's reference to criticism by Amnesty International, I have to inform the Deputy that both Ms Irene Khan, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, and Mr. Seán Love, director of the Irish section, made clear to officials of my Department that the press article and the headline to which I assume the Deputy refers did not represent their views or those of Amnesty International. In fact, I have before me a letter from Mr. Love to an official in my Department, dated 29 January 2002, in which he states the following:
During its chairmanship of the UN Security Council and indeed in negotiations at this current session of the General Assembly, the Irish Government have been strong in their support of bringing UN texts and resolutions into conformity with international humanitarian and human rights law.
Top
Share