asked the Minister for External Affairs if in view of the continuing situation in Vietnam the Government intend to take any initiative in the matter.
Ceisteann—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vietnam Situation.
32.
The Government consider that there is no initiative that they could usefully take at the present time with regard to the situation in Vietnam.
May I ask why the Government have not expressed any belated opposition, or any reservations, in view of the international reservations about the American Government's continuing military occupation of Vietnam and all the tragic consequences that has brought over the past decade and why even now they are not prepared to take any initiative?
I think what the Deputy means by initiative in that case is taking sides.
I am not asking that.
The Government policy of emphasising the need for an enduring settlement is known. There have been Dáil statements on this by my predecessor.
More statements in the Dáil than in the UN.
The Dáil to me is just as important as the UN.
Not as important as the cumainn.
I was going to outline the basis of the declared Government policy.
I would be anxious to hear that. I have been waiting seven years for it.
Not in this Dáil. The settlement which the Government called for would include the following elements: (1) that the Vietnamese and those great powers involved directly and indirectly should agree that a cease-fire on land, sea and in the air, should be arranged to allow negotiations to begin as soon as possible; (2) that the negotiation of an agreement to bring about a lasting peace would be greatly helped by the announcement that the agreement arrived at would be guaranteed by France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States and, if possible, by the People's Republic of China, and the United Nations; (3) that to be really effective and lasting a peace settlement in Vietnam should form part of an area of peace and limited armaments agreement between a group of countries in South East Asia. I think that is a summary of what has been declared.
We shall have an opportunity of discussing this on the Supplementary Estimate also but is the Minister not aware that Governments which are friendly with us and the US, such as Sweden, Norway and Canada, have made much more forthright statements on this matter than that contained in this rather double-jointed document we have just heard?
I can assure the Deputy if there is some useful initiative which could be taken, either on our own, which is doubtful, or in combination with other nations, we would be very sympathetically inclined towards it. You just do not make statements for the sake of making statements.
Could we have from the Minister an admission on his part that to the best of his assessment it would now appear that American policy on Vietnam has generally failed? Even that concession from an Irish Government as an expression of analysis would be illuminating.
I think the Deputy has satisfied his own position by saying what he thinks. I would like to see, acting as a Government, some useful function from what I would say.
The first thing is a statement that American policy has failed. Would you not say that?
If I wanted to say it I would say it without being asked.
I am waiting a long time. God help our diplomatic policy.
It cannot be Labour policy all the time.