asked the Minister for External Affairs what steps he is taking regarding appeals for support of United Nations condemnation of South Africa's apartheid policies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - South African Apartheid.
3.
The Irish delegation has consistently supported condemnation by the United Nations of South Africa's racialist apartheid policies— policies which we regard as morally wrong, a denial of human rights and crime against humanity. The most recent resolution of this kind was passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 23rd November, 1967. Ireland and a very large majority of members voted for this resolution.
The Government have also imposed an embargo on the exportation of arms to South Africa following the Security Council resolutions of 7th August and 4th December, 1963 and 18th June, 1964 and are contributing to the United Nations Funds for the alleviation of distress and education of the victims of apartheid.
Further the Government have made representations to the Government of the Republic of South Africa not to proceed with the trial of prisoners from South-West Africa and to release them forthwith.
We may have imposed an embargo on the exportation of arms but I do not know what arms this country produces. That embargo would not count for a great deal. Most certainly, we have not agreed to enforce economic sanctions against South Africa. Would the Minister give any view as to why this country refused to join the numerous Scandinavian and African countries who have agreed on economic sanctions against this racialist regime in South Africa?
Whatever effect sanctions would have if imposed on the authority of the Security Council, they would have none at all if imposed by the General Assembly, and I am very doubtful as to the effectiveness of economic sanctions on a country that is well developed and that is pretty self-sufficient economically. It would be very easy to vote for sanctions if we thought they would be effective. It would be wrong to vote for sanctions imposed by a body that had not the power to see that they were carried out. The Security Council has the power to see that its sanctions are carried out and they did in one case authorise the British to stop by force on sea the petrol flow into Rhodesia. We have had plenty of experience of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of sanctions since Ethiopia and all that.