John Perry
Question:178 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he plans to establish a consulate in Belgrade, in view of the tourism potential in this region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33173/04]
View answerTuesday, 14 December 2004
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Ireland opened diplomatic relations with what is now the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in April, 1977 and our ambassador to Hungary is accredited there on a non-resident basis. An honorary consul was appointed in Belgrade in December, 2003. The opening of resident Irish missions abroad is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis. As the Deputy will appreciate, however, there are constraints on Government expenditure and limits on the resources that can be made available for new missions. Any expansion of our diplomatic network must take this into account and must be based on a thorough assessment of the costs and benefits involved. At present there are no plans to open a consulate or resident mission in Belgrade.