Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 3

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

257 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations he has made to the Israeli Government and others to condemn the recent Israeli air strike on Syria; his views on reports that the Israeli Government has interpreted the Quartet's failure to criticise this act of aggression as a tacit seal of approval; and if the Israeli Government received no request from Ireland not to expel Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the aftermath of the attack on Syria. [23464/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The attack on Syria was the subject of a statement by the Presidency of the European Union, with which Ireland was in full agreement. I am unaware of the reports to which the Deputy refers and in the light of the critical statements by the United States, Russia, the European Union Presidency and the Secretary General of the United Nations it would be difficult to interpret the Quartet reaction as any kind of approval. The position of the Government on Mr. Arafat's security was made clear in my statement of 12 September and is well known to the Government of Israel. That position is unchanged and was also conveyed in the Taoiseach's most recent letter to Mr. Arafat on 9 October.