andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the Irish delegate supported the motion at the U.N. recently calling for the withdrawal of all Belgian military personnel from the Congo.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Congo Motions at United Nations.
12.
On 15th April the Irish delegation voted for a resolution adopted by 61 votes to 5 with 33 abstentions of which the second operative paragraph read as follows:
Decides that all Belgian and other foreign military and para-military personnel and political advisers not under the United Nations Command, and mercenaries, shall be completely withdrawn and evacuated.
In view of the fact that our representative voted, and rightly voted, for that resolution, do the Government not propose to bring in a resolution in the United Nations calling for a withdrawal of the British troops of occupation from our territory?
That is an entirely separate matter.
If we are prepared to speak for the Congo, we should also be prepared to ask for a withdrawal of the occupation troops in the Six Counties.
13.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the Irish delegate supported the motion at the U.N. recently calling on the American Government to cease facilitating the training of Cuban organisations in the U.S.A. for the purpose of overthrowing the Dr. Castro Government in Cuba.
The Irish delegation supported the draft resolution sponsored by Argentina and six other States of which the text was as follows:—
The General Assembly,
Having heard the statements made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, the representative of the United States of America and other representatives,
Deeply concerned over the situation disclosed therein, which is disturbing world public opinion and the continuation of which could endanger world peace,
Recalling the last two paragraphs of the resolution adopted by the Security Council on 19 July, 1960, and the peaceful means of settlement established at the seventh meeting of consultation of Foreign Ministers of the American Republics,
Considering that the states members of the United Nations are under an obligation to settle their disputes by negotiation and other peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered,
1. Exhorts those member states which belong to the Organization of American States to lend their assistance with a view to achieving a settlement by peaceful means in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and of the Charter of the Organization of American States, and to report to the United Nations as soon as possible within the present year the measures they have taken to achieve settlement by peaceful means;
2. Exhorts all member states to take such peaceful action as is open to them to remove existing tension.
Our delegation also supported the following draft resolution sponsored by Mexico:—
The General Assembly,
Having heard the statements made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, by the representative of the United States of America and by other representatives,
Deeply concerned over the situation described therein, the continuation of which is likely to endanger peace,
Considering that it is a permanent aim of the United Nations to develop friendly relations based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples,
Firmly believing that the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of any State imposes an obligation on Members of the United Nations to refrain from encouraging or promoting civil strife in other States,
Mindful that it is the duty of all States, under Article 33 of the Charter, to seek the pacific settlement of disputes by the means enumerated therein,
1. Makes an urgent appeal to all States to ensure that their territories and resources are not used to promote a civil war in Cuba;
2. Urges them to put an immediate end to any activity that might result in further bloodshed;
3. Requests them to co-operate, in keeping with the spirit of the Charter, in the search for a peaceful solution to the present situation.
The first-mentioned resolution was adopted by a vote of 59 to 13 with 24 abstentions after operative paragraph (1) had been struck out. This paragraph failed to obtain the required two-thirds majority, the vote being 56 to 32 with eight abstentions. Ireland voted for the paragraph.
The second resolution was passed by the First Committee, but in the Assembly it fell short of the two-thirds majority necessary to secure adoption. The Irish delegation voted for it both in the Committee and in the Assembly.
These were the only two resolutions on the Cuban question put to the vote either in Committee or in the Assembly.