Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 7

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Dan Boyle

Question:

54 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's policy towards the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the measures which have been taken or are contemplated by the Government or the European Union to alleviate that situation; his views on Amnesty International's call for the immediate deployment of a UN Rapid Reaction Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14945/03]

Gay Mitchell

Question:

56 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the worsening war situation in the east and north eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; if he has raised the appalling situation with his EU counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14842/03]

Tony Gregory

Question:

97 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the call made by Amnesty International for a UN peacekeeping force to be sent to the Congo as a matter of urgency. [14841/03]

Gay Mitchell

Question:

145 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has received a request for Defence Forces personnel to participate in an EU peacekeeping or peacemaking force in the Congo. [15024/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

162 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his proposals to influence the international community with a view to concentrating efforts to stabilise the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15134/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 56, 97, 145 and 162 together. I have been following closely, for some considerable time, developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On a number of occasions in this House, I have articulated my concern about events there. Throughout Ireland's recent membership of the UN Security Council, we were constantly vocal on this matter. Several months ago, as a member of the Security Council, Ireland warned that the Council would need to continue monitoring closely the situation in the province of Ituri and to make, if necessary, the appropriate adjustments to the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in that country in the light of the crisis.

While there has been a great deal of progress, at the political level, in the peace process in recent months, this has not been reflected in developments on the ground in Ituri where the situation has been deteriorating. Widespread international attention has only recently been drawn to the widespread, savage, murder and maiming of civilians, which has been going on for many months.

It is absolutely vital that the international presence on the ground be substantially strengthened as a matter of urgency in order to prevent the situation in Ituri and, in particular Bunia, from deteriorating further. The UN has approximately 700 MONUC military personnel in Bunia at present, but it has neither the mandate nor the resources to come to grips with a crisis that has deteriorated badly. I share the concerns of Amnesty International, Oxfam, Human Rights Watch and other human rights groups regarding the need for the immediate deployment of a multinational force pending the expansion of MONUC. There is a clear obligation on the international community to respond urgently to this crisis.

The United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations has been in contact with a number of states requesting them to participate in a possible interim multinational force to be deployed, under French leadership, to stabilise the situation in Ituri. Discussions are continuing in New York among Security Council members with a view to the authorisation of such a force by the Council. I understand that Council members are sympathetic in principle. However, a number of issues have yet to be clarified, including the attitude towards the deployment of any such force on the part of neighbouring states, particularly Rwanda. The UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping has been in the region in recent days to explore urgently these and other questions surrounding the establishment and deployment of a force. Current indications suggest that while it is likely that such a force would have a UN mandate, with express authority to act under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, it may not be a UN forceper se. Its deployment would allow time for the strengthening of the existing UN force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUC, which is due to be expanded this summer.

Following contact between UN Secretary General Annan and President Chirac, a French military team is already on the ground in Ituri conducting a risk assessment in preparation for the possible deployment of such a multinational force.

The urgency of the crisis in Ituri was raised last week at the meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council. Along with my European counterparts, we discussed what support the European Union could give to the international efforts under way to help alleviate the situation. We mandated the High Representative, Mr. Solana, to follow up on the matter, in co-operation with our representatives to the Political and Security Committee and in continued close co-ordination with the United Nations. The possibility of the EU taking responsibility for the multinational force is under consideration. The Government will strongly support every effort to address the crisis, including the need for the European Union to support the efforts of the UN Secretary General.

Ireland has not yet been approached by either the UN or the EU regarding participation on our part in any new force that may be established. We already have two military officers serving with MONUC. Should we be approached, the Government will consider the matter in light of the mandate establishing the force as well as the nature of the request and the availability of personnel and resources.