Michael Ring
Question:83 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consideration the GAERC Council has recently given to the situation in Somalia. [9939/03]
Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.
On 10 December 2002, the External Relations Council adopted Common Position 2002/960/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Somalia. Under this common position, the supply or sale of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts, to Somalia by nationals of member states or from the territories of member states, shall be prohibited whether originating or not in their territories. The common position also prohibits the supply to Somalia of direct or indirect technical advice, financial and other assistance and training related to military activities, including technical training and assistance related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance or use of the items mentioned above by nationals of member states or from the territories of the member states.
This common position reflects United Nations Security Council Resolutions 733 (1992), 1356 (2001) and 1425 (2002). The Deputy may be aware that the Security Council is currently considering a report of an expert panel on how to enhance the effectiveness of the arms embargo on Somalia. While a member of the Security Council, Ireland was very active in seeking to raise the UN profile in Somalia. We were to the fore in pressing for strengthening the arms embargo and Ireland actively pressed for the appointment of this panel to come up with concrete recommendations on improving enforcement of the embargo, as a means of helping create the conditions for peace and reconciliation in that country. We look forward to further deliberation of this issue by the Security Council.
Pádraic McCormack
Question:84 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on progress to date in re-establishing democratic civil government in Afghanistan. [9953/03]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:187 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give an update on the situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10275/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 187 together.
On 11 March 2003, I made a statement to the House concerning the situation in Afghanistan. Since then, the progress towards re-establishing a democratic civil government in Afghanistan has continued. This process commenced with the formation of the Afghan Interim Authority following the Bonn Agreement in December 2001. The interim authority was replaced by the Afghanistan Transitional Authority, ATA, chosen by an Emergency Loya Jirga on 22 June 2002, which also confirmed the appointment of Hamid Karzai as President of the ATA.
The Afghanistan Transitional Authority will be replaced by an elected government in accordance with the provisions of the Bonn Agreement. These elections are due to take place in June 2004. The United Nations mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, has already started to organise the electoral process and is co-ordinating the international assistance which has been offered.
Since 17 December 2002, the important process of drafting a new constitution for Afghanistan has advanced. President Karzai is preparing a decree which details the main elements of the new constitution and provides for the establishment of a constitutional commission. Public consultations on the new constitution will then follow.
Other encouraging developments include the reform of the national army, and the creation of a national police force. On 21 March 2003, President Karzai announced the establishment of the DDR programme. This provides for the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of irregular military forces into the national army and civil society in Afghanistan. Also on a positive note, on 10 February 2003, the leadership of the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, with which Irish troops continue to serve in Kabul, was transferred smoothly from Turkey, to Germany and the Netherlands.
Despite this progress, the human rights and security situation in Afghanistan continue to raise concerns. On 27 March 2003, a staff member of the International Committee of the Red Cross was murdered, one of a series of incidents which have been perpetrated over recent months, against the Afghan population and the international aid community. The poppy eradication programme has also met with opposition in the east of Afghanistan, and there have been reports of attacks on the offices of some international organisations there.
Ireland is committed to the process of reconstruction in Afghanistan. Our ambassador in Tehran presented his credentials in Kabul on 5 March 2003. He held a series of meetings with the Afghan authorities, Irish NGOs in the field and international organisations, which have further contributed to our assessment of the ongoing needs of the Afghan people and to informing our overall approach. Ireland has provided over €14.2 million in funding to Afghanistan since 2000 which, I am pleased to report, makes us one of the leading international donors to Afghanistan, on a per capita basis.
Together with our EU partners, Ireland remains committed to, and will continue to support, the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan, to ensure that, with the help of the international community, it may emerge as a stable and peaceful democracy.