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Middle East Peace Process.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004

Wednesday, 31 March 2004

Questions (70, 71, 72)

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

50 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the matters discussed and conclusions reached at his recent meeting in Dublin with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Silvan Shalom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9904/04]

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Eamon Ryan

Question:

54 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Government’s approach to that conflict; the Government’s views on the Israeli Government’s targeting of Hamas leaders for assassination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10081/04]

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Michael Noonan

Question:

75 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will advise on the current situation in the Middle East; if he has had recent contact with the Government of Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9994/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 54, and 75 together.

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Silvan Shalom, visited Dublin on 27 February for discussions on the Middle East peace process. In the course of our discussions, he briefed me on developing Israeli ideas on a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. I outlined for him the five criteria which the European Union Foreign Ministers had agreed on 23 February which must be fulfilled for such a move to attract international support. For the information of the House, these are that it must take place in the context of the road-map; it must be a step towards a two state solution; it must not involve a transfer of settlement activity to the West Bank; there must be an organised and negotiated hand-over of responsibility to the Palestinian Authority; and Israel must facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza.

We also discussed the lack of progress in implementation of the road-map. I stressed the fact that the road-map contains all the elements which will have to form part of any comprehensive peace settlement. I suggested that, if the first phase of the road-map was proving too difficult to implement, then the parties should proceed by implementing a series of small, concrete and visible measures to build confidence.

The situation in the Middle East remains a major source of concern. The cycle of violence must be broken and a ceasefire implemented and observed by both sides. Clearly, a policy of extra-judicial killing does nothing to help the situation. Ireland's position on this matter was clearly set out in the statement adopted by European Foreign Ministers on 22 March, the day of the Yassin assassination. The situation in the Middle East remains a major source of concern. The cycle of violence must be broken and a ceasefire implemented and observed by both sides. Clearly, a policy of extra-judicial killing does nothing to help the situation. Ireland's position on this matter was clearly set out in the statement adopted by European Foreign Ministers on 22 March, the day of the Yassin assassination, to which I have referred earlier.

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