Vol. 566 No. 5
48 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence if he had discussions with his EU partners in recent times in the context of PfP and following the recently announced European security alliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13309/03]
57 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence his preferred options in respect of Ireland's involvement, in the context of European defence and security, in the aftermath of the recently announced defence alliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13318/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 57 together.
The proposed European defence alliance referred to by the Deputy is the outcome of a multilateral meeting which took place on 29 April between Italy, Germany, France and Luxembourg. Ireland did not receive an invitation to attend.
I have not had discussions with my EU colleagues on this issue as the meeting in question took place outside the institutional framework of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy of which European security and defence policy is a subset.
Since my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 130 tabled by the Deputy on 13 February 2002, I have not had discussions with my EU colleagues in the context of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council or PfP.
