asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with U Thant.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Discussions with the UN Secretary General.
159.
My discussions with the Secretary General were for the purpose of keeping him fully informed about the situation in the north and our views on it. His attitude was cordial and sympathetic. Any action he might consider, however, would have to take into account British opposition to UN involvement.
Had the Minister for External Affairs any reason to suppose that U Thant was more inclined to listen to abuse from the British Government than from the Irish Government, who would seem to me to be directly concerned?
It is not a question of his acting on his discretion but the opposition of the British would prevent his taking any action. While the Irish delegation have from time to time, even as far back as 1967, asserted the Secretary General's right to send a representative, this has not been generally accepted; and whatever his private views are, without the aquiescence of the British Government or a positive vote of the Security Council, he could not do so. It was not a matter of his taking more notice of one side or the other.
Am I to take it that what it really amounted to was that he expected that the British would use the veto?
I do not exclude the possibility of the Secretary General in private conversations trying to find a way acceptable to the British and to us of sending a representative or getting some UN involvement which would help ease the situation in the north but, as I said already, any desire on his part to do so would require the co-operation of the countries involved.
Is there any grave reason why the Minister is so reluctant to give more information on these discussions with U Thant—I mean in reference to his meetings with U Thant which got wide publicity? The Minister seems reluctant to give anything except very vague information. I should be glad if he would be more open with the House.
I think the House will appreciate that, if I have discussions on behalf of the country and not as a private individual with the Secretary General or with the Foreign Ministers of other countries and if I come out and tell everybody what they said, the possibility of further discussions or further useful progress would be totally excluded. While I had, I think, four or five meetings with the Secretary General, all of them were calculated to be of benefit to the situation in the North of Ireland. I think my behaviour should be such as not to prevent his being able to help if his continued interest finds some response with the British Government. I do not mean to be obscure but I think that this type of work cannot be done from the house tops.