Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 June 2016
192. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions that have taken place at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council regarding the possibility of suspending trade agreements with Israel until such a time as peace talks resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17382/16]
View answerThe difficulties of, and possibility for, resuming peace talks in the Middle East is a constant topic at the Foreign Affairs Council, and Ireland is active to ensure that the Council maintains a focus on it, despite many other crises in the region. It was discussed most recently at the Council on Monday, which discussed in particular the current initiative by France to create the conditions for a return to talks. This began with a conference of Foreign Ministers in Paris on 3 June, in which I participated, at the invitation of France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault. I expect the Middle East Peace Process to be discussed again at the July meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. However, no proposal of the nature suggested by the Deputy has been made or discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council. Successive Ministers have made clear in the House that there is no possibility whatever of obtaining EU consensus in favour of such a move.
