Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Apr 2003

Vol. 565 No. 1

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Joe Sherlock

Question:

62 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the implications for the future participation of the Defence Forces in international peacekeeping duties of the war against Iraq and the sidelining of the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8924/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Deputy will be aware that Ireland has had a continuous presence in UN peacekeeping operations since 1958. Since then, Irish personnel have served over 50,000 individual missions on United Nations peacekeeping operations. In addition, Irish peacekeepers have served and are serving in multi-national peacekeeping forces sanctioned by the UN Security Council such as the Kosovo Force, KFOR, the Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFOR, and the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, in Afghanistan.

Ireland's involvement in peacekeeping represents a major contribution to international peace and security. It is a record of which the Irish people can justly be proud. In the case of Iraq, the failure of the Security Council to reach agreement before the commencement of the military engagement was clearly regrettable. However, the Security Council is uniquely charged with the maintenance of international peace and the Government are confident that it will retain its primary responsibility for international peace and security and remain closely involved in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace-building.

There are currently close to 40,000 peacekeepers engaged in missions mandated by the Security Council, and thousands more taking part in missions mounted by groups of states under Security Council authorisation. Far from being sidelined, therefore, the United Nations Security Council is working intensively on a wide range of issues of international peace and security. Whatever differences have arisen, this core responsibility remains as does the need for peacekeepers from countries such as Ireland with proven track records of excellence in peacekeeping. I would add that during its two-year tenure as a Security Council member, recently completed, Ireland worked hard to ensure that the Security Council assumed its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and that its primary role in that regard was fully respected.

Moreover, on the specific case of Iraq, in the period since the commencement of military action, the Security Council, in adopting Resolution 1472, reached an important agreement on granting authority to the UN Secretary General to re-commence the oil for food programme. This was vital given the needs of the Iraqi people but also a good augury for the central involvement of the United Nations.

The Government will follow closely efforts to reach agreement in the Security Council on a central role for the United Nations in post-war Iraq. Immediately upon the outbreak of war, the Taoiseach wrote to Secretary General Annan and the President of the Security Council regarding the Council's involvement. He spoke to Mr. Annan last Monday and raised the issue personally with President Bush and Prime Minister Blair at Hillsborough. It is the Government's view that a central role for the United Nations will be in the best interests of Iraq, and offer the best prospects for peace and security in the region.