Vol. 571 No. 2
189 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the European Commission document in relation to the near neighbourhood of the EU following enlargement; and the consideration which is being given by the GAERC to this document. [21129/03]
The EU Commission adopted a paper entitled Wider Europe-New Neighbourhood: A Framework for Relations with our Eastern and Southern Neighbours on 11 March 2003. It was considered at the General Affairs and External Relations Council at its meetings in March, April and June 2003. In June, the Council adopted conclusions on the main elements of the wider Europe policy framework which were endorsed by the European Council at Thessaloniki in the same month.
The initiative is designed to strengthen the framework of the Union's relations with neighbouring countries which do not currently have the prospect of membership of the EU. The idea is to develop a "ring of friends" with whom the EU enjoys close, peaceful and co-operative relations. In return for concrete progress and the effective implementation of political, economic and institutional reforms reflecting shared values, the initiative offers the Governments of those countries the prospect of closer economic integration with the EU. The geographical scope of the initiative includes all the countries on the external land and sea borders of the enlarged union. These are Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus and the countries of the southern Mediterranean – Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria and Tunisia.
The Council has decided that, at a later stage, it will examine whether the southern Caucasus countries could also be covered within these policies. Countries to be included in the initiative will be closely evaluated by the European Union for compliance with human rights and political commitments. In the GAERC conclusions of June, the Council invited the Commission to present proposals – in the form of "action plans"– for all the countries included in the initiative commencing inter alia with Ukraine, Moldova and the southern Mediterranean partners with association agreements. Work is now under way in the Commission to frame these proposals.
Ireland strongly supports the wider Europe initiative. The policy framework offers a good basis for positive comprehensive relations between the enlarged Union and its new neighbours. We believe that the approach is a good one particularly given expectations in the bordering states and in the acceding countries arising from the enlargement of the Union in May 2004. We recognise the potential of the wider Europe framework to reinforce the EU-Russia strategic partnership and will work to ensure that our approach to the wider Europe policy serves to enhance this important relationship as well.
190 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the EU has had discussions with the US, with ASEM and others on the situation in North Korea. [21109/03]
The Government continues with keen interest to monitor developments on the Korean peninsula, which has the potential to affect seriously international peace and security. Ireland, together with our EU partners, is committed to the pursuit of peace and stability in northeast Asia. I welcome the six-party talks, attended by North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US, that took place in Beijing from 27 to 29 August 2003. We commend the Government of China for having taken the initiative in this connection. Ireland, along with our EU partners, strongly hopes that North Korea will continue on this path of international engagement and multilateral dialogue. I would encourage the Pyongyang government to take concrete steps to move towards a peaceful solution, and to fulfil their international nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
The EU has discussed this issue with interested parties, including the US, and at ASEM. The situation in North Korea was the subject of in-depth discussions between the EU and the US, at the summit meeting which took place in Washington on 25 June 2003, under the Greek Presidency. President Bush outlined the US position and welcomed the stance taken by the EU. More recently, on 18 July 2003, Ireland took part in the political directors' troika meeting with the US, during which both sides agreed on the need to pursue a multilateral solution.
At the ASEM Foreign Ministers' meeting in Indonesia on 23 to 24 July 2003, at which Ireland was represented by the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, there was a most useful discussion on North Korea. The EU and Asian ministers adopted a statement urging North Korea to resume its co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to reverse its decision to withdraw from the non-proliferation treaty and to abandon its nuclear weapons programme in a verifiable manner. The Ministers expressed their conviction that the peaceful resolution of this issue through dialogue and negotiation would contribute to regional, and international, peace and stability.
On 25 September 2003, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, I represented Ireland in the EU foreign ministers' troika, which discussed North Korea with Chinese Foreign Minister Li. Official level contacts, with both the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministries, also took place in September 2003. Both countries have emphasised their commitment to the current six way talks process and to the peaceful settlement of the current crisis. For our part, we reiterated the EU's strong support for the current diplomatic efforts. The EU would also be ready to consider enhanced co-operation with North Korea if the present difficult situation could be resolved in a satisfactory manner.
Question No. 191 answered with Question No. 130.
192 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current state of relations between the EU and Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21135/03]
Relations between the EU and Zimbabwe are defined in the context of the Cotonou agreement signed by the EU and Africa, Caribbean and Pacific states. As such, the normalisation of relations between the EU and Zimbabwe is subject to the respect of the commitments of the Cotonou agreement by Zimbabwe.
The EU has identified a number of benchmarks for the Government of Zimbabwe to meet which could lead to a normalisation of relations with the EU. These benchmarks include short-term measures such as an end to political intimidation and violence, the restoration of democratic values and respect for human rights, and freedom of the mass media, the removal of all obstacles currently impeding the provision of humanitarian and food assistance by international NGOs and a review of the land reform process with full UNDP participation. Medium term measures to be undertaken by the Government of Zimbabwe include introducing a number of proposals to parliament to redress current restrictions on freedom of expression and association.
Details of these benchmarks have been provided to the Southern Africa Development Community, the premier regional organisation in southern Africa. In doing so, the EU hopes to generate a greater understanding in southern Africa of the principles behind the EU's decision to impose sanctions on the government of Zimbabwe and to refute inaccurate statements by the government of Zimbabwe on this issue.
The EU has also sought to address urgently misconceptions expressed in the final communiqué of the SADC summit held in Dar es Salaam in August, in which SADC expressed regret at the impact of international sanctions on ordinary Zimbabweans and on the region as a whole. At a troika meeting of EU and SADC senior officials in Dar es Salaam in September, the EU stressed that the sanctions, which are not economic in nature, were imposed on the government of Zimbabwe with the expressed intent that they would not penalise ordinary Zimbabwean citizens. The EU also provided to SADC details of humanitarian assistance to the region which included €295 million in humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe in 2002-03. The SADC troika responded positively to the information provided.
The continued failure of the government of Zimbabwe to make progress in the benchmarks will dictate the relationship between the EU and Zimbabwe for the foreseeable future. The EU continues to monitor closely the situation in Zimbabwe. Most recently, on 18 September the EU issued a declaration condemning the closure of Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper as a serious attack on freedom of information.
