Joe Costello
Question:99 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the position of the EU and the Government in relation to current developments in the Middle East. [21442/02]
Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.
Paul Connaughton
Question:127 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the Middle East. [21514/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 127 together.
I have already covered the situation in Iraq in reply to a priority question. The situation in the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and between Israel and its neighbours Syria and Lebanon remains a matter for concern. Violent incidents continue to occur regularly with the loss of innocent life on both sides. The Palestinian population of the West Bank remains severely affected by closures and curfews. A humanitarian crisis is developing. Israel is continuing with the construction of a security fence with a view to isolating Israel proper and the major illegal settlements from Palestinian areas. Israeli settlement activity is continuing and will make a two state solution more difficult to achieve. As a result of international mediation efforts, the crisis between Israel and Lebanon over the waters of the Hasbani River did not come to a head. However, this issue has not been finally resolved and remains a potential flashpoint.
On 29 October, President Arafat won the approval of the Palestinian Legislative Council for a new cabinet. The new cabinet is committed to continue the process of reform of Palestinian institutions, including security services. Clearly, the effectiveness of Palestinian reforms is dependent to a large extent on the co-operation of the Israeli authorities and their willingness to facilitate Palestinian efforts. The Government welcomes the formation of a new Palestinian administration and the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to pursue reforms.
The resignation of Labour Party Ministers from the Israeli Government has led to the calling of early elections, probably in late January or early February 2003. The caretaker Government is unlikely to take any radical initiatives and may have difficulty in responding to quartet proposals in the next few weeks. The caretaker Government will still have to face its responsibilities and deal with urgent concerns such as closures and the oppressive occupation regime to which the Palestinians of the West Bank are subject. It is a matter of regret that Israel has only a caretaker Government at this difficult time, but we would expect that Government to remain engaged in the search for peace, and conscious of its international responsibilities.
On the international level there has been considerable activity with meetings of the quartet preparing a road map for a Palestinian state for adoption at a meeting in Copenhagen in early December. US Assistant Secretary of State Burns visited the region in the final week of October and outlined US views to regional leaders.
Ireland looks forward to the adoption of the road map at the quartet meeting in December. It must contain political, humanitarian, economic, institutional and security elements which will progress in parallel. The European Union is fully engaged as a member of the quartet in formulating the road map for a Palestinian state and European Union envoys are in regular contact with all the major players in the region. Ireland contributes actively to the elaboration of the EU position.
Ireland is also active as a member of the UN Security Council, where the situation in the Middle East is kept under regular review. The Council has passed 12 resolutions on the Middle East since Ireland became a member. Our representatives have been prominent in all of the Council's debates on the issue and are engaged in current efforts to bring about a two state solution to the conflict.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:100 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's position on Cyprus in view of the motion passed by the Select Committee on European Affairs on 31 July 2002 which significantly softens the historic official Irish position on the Turkish occupation of Cyprus; the changes to that position, both since the Amsterdam Treaty, and since the first Nice Referendum; and the reasons for these changes. [21611/02]
Liz McManus
Question:123 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position in relation to the UN proposals for talks on reconciliation in Cyprus; if it is the intention of the EU to take an initiative in order to help such talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21434/02]
I propose to take Question Nos. 100 and 123 together.
Ireland fully supports the current talks, sponsored by the United Nations, between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, President Clerides and Mr. Denktash, aimed at finding a comprehensive and lasting settlement in Cyprus. Although the talks are on hold at the moment, because Mr. Denktash is recuperating following a heart operation, we expect them to be resumed in the near future. Together with our EU partners, we have called on all the parties involved to co-operate in the process with a view to achieving a political settlement before the end of the negotiations for the accession of Cyprus to the European Union.
On Monday, Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary General, presented to both sides his proposal for a comprehensive settlement for Cyprus. The Secretary General hopes his initiative will help the parties focus on the decisions that they should take in the next few weeks in order to seize the opportunity at hand and to bring about a settlement. He has asked the leaders of the two communities not to take a formal position on the proposals but to take some time to consider them. He has asked for a response from both sides by next Monday 18 November. The Secretary General briefed the Security Council on Monday on the proposals. The members welcomed the decision to present the proposal and reaffirmed their full support for the Secretary General's efforts. I welcome the Secretary General's proposals and would urge all parties to reflect carefully on their contents and not to take any position which might close off progress in the future.
If a settlement is not reached in the next few weeks, the Copenhagen European Council will have to make a final decision on admitting a divided Cyprus to the EU. The Helsinki European Council Conclusions of 1999 provide that while a political settlement would facilitate the accession of Cyprus to the EU, if no settlement has been reached by the end of negotiations, the EU will decide on Cypriot accession without a settlement being a pre-condition and taking into account all relevant factors.
The Government welcomes the terms of the resolution on Cyprus passed by the Select Committee on European Affairs on 31 July 2002. Irish policy in relation to the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is in line with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Article 3 of UN Security Council Resolution 550 (1984) of 11 May 1984 reiterates the call upon all states not to recognise the purported State of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus set up by secessionist acts and calls upon them not to facilitate or in any way assist the aforesaid secessionist entity. Article 4 of the same resolution calls upon all states to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, unity and non-alignment of the Republic of Cyprus.
Ireland supports the terms of Resolution 550 and of other relevant Security Council Resolutions on the situation in Cyprus. The Government's position has not been changed since the Amsterdam treaty or since the first Nice referendum.