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Middle East Peace Process.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004

Wednesday, 24 November 2004

Questions (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

31 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had meetings with representatives from the Palestinian Authority following the death of President Yasser Arafat; his position on the road map for peace in the Middle East following the death of President Arafat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30089/04]

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Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

79 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contacts he has had with the Palestinian Authority following the death of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat; his views on the impact which the president’s death will have on the Middle East peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30266/04]

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Tom Hayes

Question:

99 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his attendance at the recent funeral of Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30040/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 79 and 99 together.

I represented the Government at the funeral service for the late President Arafat. The funeral service was a major and solemn occasion, held in Cairo. The burial itself took place in Ramallah. The Palestinian leadership indicated that its preference was for the international community to be represented at the Cairo ceremony, and for the burial itself to be an occasion for the Palestinian people. As might readily be understood, the Palestinian leadership was under considerable time pressure in attending the service and proceeding directly to the burial in Ramallah. In consequence, it did not prove possible for it to hold substantive discussions with the representatives of the international community during its limited time in Cairo.

I have been in correspondence, however, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority, Dr. Nabil Shaath. Dr. Shaath wrote to me this week extending his deepest thanks to the Irish Government and people for the condolences offered to the Palestinian people on the death of President Arafat. He also informed me of the determination of the Palestinian leadership to pursue a smooth political transition and legal succession, including the holding of presidential elections on 9 January next.

The House will know that I recently met Dr. Nabil Shaath here in Dublin. While the programme in Cairo did not permit me to follow up on this meeting with Dr. Shaath or his colleagues, I intend to avail of opportunities to keep in touch with him and other leaders as the situation develops. The Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting later this month will provide an opportunity.

It is clear that the implications of President Arafat's death could be very significant. He was the leader of his people for more than a generation. He has been a unifying figure of unique importance. The loss of such a figure poses a challenge to the Palestinian people to maintain their unity. Hopefully, all factions will realise that the alternative would mean a further blow to Palestinian aspirations for a State of their own and could result in the spread of instability. The signs so far are good that the Palestinian leadership will be successful in handling the situation. Equally, I would expect that the Israeli Government will see the importance of easing the transition to a new, empowered and legitimate leadership and will facilitate the elections for President Arafat's successor.

Looking at the future development of the peace process, my hope is that the death of President Arafat will lead to a refocusing of minds on the imperative need to get the peace process back on track. The road map offers the best opportunity of arriving at a two-state solution based on Israeli and Palestinian states living side by side in peace within secure and agreed borders. Ireland and our partners in the EU will continue to work for progress on the road map.

John Deasy

Question:

32 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action being taken at European level to progress the Middle East peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30041/04]

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Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

52 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he and his colleagues at EU or other levels intend to influence the current situation in the Israeli and Palestinian conflict with particular reference to the need for a positive intervention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30262/04]

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Gay Mitchell

Question:

63 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts being made at national and at European level to progress the Middle East peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30056/04]

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Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

68 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ask his colleague Ministers in the European Union to take the initiative in seeking talks with the interim Palestinian administration and Israel towards advancing the road map for peace; if he has discussed this matter with his colleague Ministers in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30085/04]

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Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

145 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he intends through the EU or UN to assist in the search for a settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30687/04]

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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 52, 63, 68 and 145 together.

The Government, both bilaterally and within the framework of the EU and UN, is seeking to encourage progress in the Middle East peace process.

On Monday, 22 November, the General Affairs and External Relations Council again considered the current situation in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on the role which can be played by the EU in advancing efforts to resolve the conflict. The conclusions of the meeting re-emphasised that the EU will spare no effort to promote peace and security in the Middle East, both in the short term and in the longer term, within the broader political perspective. The Union is determined to co-ordinate its efforts with the parties involved and with its partners, in particular the Quartet members.

In its conclusions, the Council began by expressing its condolences to the Palestinian people on the occasion of President Arafat's death. The Council commended the approach of the current leadership in organising a smooth transition. The conclusions reaffirmed the EU's goals and policies with respect to the Middle East peace process. We called upon all parties to abstain from any provocative or violent action and to demonstrate the necessary courage and leadership in order to advance the peace process, as well as for an end to terrorism and hostilities.

The Council reiterated the EU's commitment to the programme of short-term concrete actions endorsed by the European Council earlier this month. We concluded that immediate action is required to support the presidential elections, to improve the security situation and to provide financial support to the Palestinian Authority.

We called on the Palestinian Authority to organise elections in accordance with international standards under the authority of an independent electoral commission and upon Israel to facilitate these elections. The Union is ready to assist the Palestinian Authority financially, technically and politically. We welcomed the Commission's intention to launch an election observation mission.

Palestinian institutions and the economy should be strengthened. Israel and other members of the international community have a shared responsibility to facilitate this. The EU called on all donors and the parties directly concerned to meet their commitments and, where possible, to step up their efforts.

I would hope the Euro-Mediterraean ministerial meeting next week in the Hague, at which I will represent Ireland, will provide a further opportunity for contacts both between the parties and with the EU.

At the UN, Ireland and the EU have repeatedly reaffirmed their support for efforts to resolve the conflict, most recently through my predecessor's address to the UN General Assembly on 22 September 2004, and in the Presidency's statement on behalf of all member states including Ireland at the UN Security Council on 5 October, in which the EU deplored the disproportionate nature of Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip and called upon Israel to fully respect the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The UN has adopted a very large number of resolutions on these issues over the years, and Ireland has consistently supported those resolutions which reflected the EU's commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. I would note in particular our support for the UN General Assembly resolution adopted in July this year by an overwhelming majority in response to the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the separation barrier.

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