asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will seek the support of the Council of Europe Minister on the Contadora initiative in view of the deteriorating situation in Central America.
383.
Written Answers. - Central America.
382.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise for discussion at the next meeting of the Council of Europe Foreign Ministers the concern of Dáil Éireann at the continuing involvement of the United States in the internal affairs of El Salvador and Central America in the form of arms and military advisers in Honduras and El Salvador; and if he will recall to his colleagues the similarity of events in Central America to the build-up of the Vietnam war.
384.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he has taken to inform diplomatic representatives to Ireland of the resolution on Central America passed by Dáil Éireann on 26 April, 1983.
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 382, 383 and 384 together.
In accordance with established Government policy and in the light of the resolution passed by Dáil Éireann on 27 April, we are keeping the situation in Central America under constant review and we are following closely the efforts of the Contadora Group to achieve a lasting peace in Central America based on the principles of self-determination and the right of each country in the region to determine its own destiny free from outside interference. I would recall that the Contadora Group have proposed that a first step on the way towards establishing such peace is through the suspension of arms shipments to the area and the withdrawal of outside military advisers.
The Contadora Group of countries have made it clear that they regard the problem of Central America as essentially regional, to be solved by the countries of Latin America themselves. As the Deputy will recall, in my statement on the motion on Central America which I made in the Dáil on 26 April I indicated the Government's full support for the efforts of the Contadora Group to bring peace to Central America, and our willingness to assist the Contadora Group of countries in their efforts in all appropriate ways.
The Deputy should be in no doubt that our partners in the Ten are aware of the concern of the Government and Dáil Éireann at the serious situation in Central America; our wish to see a peaceful negotiated solution to the problems and conflicts in that region and our desire to see a radically improved social, economic and human rights situation.
The situation in Central America was discussed at the Stuttgart meeting of the European Council which ended several days ago and an important joint statement on Central America emerged from that meeting. Ireland actively sought the issuing of this statement and played a full part in its preparation. In that statement, the Ten heads of state and Governments expressed, among other things, their full support for the current initiative of the Contadora Group.
The resolution passed by Dáil Éireann on 27 April was conveyed through diplomatic channels to the United States Government and to all of the Governments of the Central American region, including the members of the Contadora Group. Moreover, the Deputy may take it that diplomatic missions accredited to Ireland are fully aware, both through their own efforts and those of my Department, of important decisions taken in this House.