Vol. 557 No. 2
72 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the agenda of the upcoming meeting of NATO's Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in Prague which he will be attending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21506/02]
A meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council is to take place at Head of State and Government level in Prague on 22 November. Representatives from the 46 countries that participate in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council are invited to attend, including representatives from the other neutral and non-aligned participants, namely, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. Ireland will be represented by the Minister of State, Deputy Roche.
The EAPC is the multilateral political framework for partnership for peace nations. Since its inception in 1997, the EAPC has developed into an overarching political structure complementing and reinforcing the work of other international organisations. The EAPC serves as an important forum for discussions in the broad Euro-Atlantic area on the future development of peacekeeping, as well as on non-military areas of co-operation such as civil emergency planning and disaster relief.
The EAPC meeting on 22 November in Prague is the first at Head of State and Government level since Ireland joined on 1 December 1999. However, Ireland has previously attended at ministerial level the separate six-monthly meetings of Foreign and Defence Ministers from the EAPC countries.
The meeting in Prague is expected to focus on the future direction of Partnership for Peace and of the EAPC in the twenty-first century. A review of the partnership is being finalised that will not alter in any way the basis of Ireland's participation. This is founded on a principle of "self-differentiation", whereby each participant in the partnership determines the nature, scope and limits of its participation. Aspects of partnership that have relevance to the fight against terrorism will also be under consideration. The current situation in the Balkans will be reviewed, especially with reference to the UN authorised, NATO-led, peace support operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina (SFOR) and in Kosovo (KFOR), in which Ireland has participated for several years.
