asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Central America; and if he will outline the Government's attitude to it.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Central America.
19.
On 26 April, I made a detailed statement to the House on the occasion of the debate on the motion on Central America. Since then, tensions in the region have, if anything, increased.
The basic situation in Central America continues to be marked by human rights violations on a massive scale, long-standing social and economic injustices, and tension within and between certain countries of the region.
In El Salvador, conflict continues between the government and guerrilla forces; Presidential elections which had been expected to take place in December will not now take place until some time later. In Guatemala, there has been a change in leadership, with General Mejia Victores assuming power in August, but concern continues with regard to the human rights situation in that country. Nicaragua has been subjected to attack from guerrilla forces operating from Honduras and Costa Rica.
There has also been increasing concern and involvement on the part of the United States in the region.
As I pointed out in my statement last April, essentially the Government's policy on Central America has three main objectives: 1. The furtherance of respect for human rights; 2. The promotion of essential social and economic reforms; 3. Support for the creation of the necessary political and diplomatic basis for a peaceful settlement to conflict and tensions in the area.
We regard our membership of the European Community as providing an important vehicle for the promotion of policy towards Central America. In this connection, the Deputy will be aware that the Heads of State and Government at their meeting in Stuttgart on 17 to 19 June 1983 expressed their conviction that the problems of Central America cannot be solved by military means, but only by a political solution springing from the region itself and respecting the principles of non-interference and inviolability of frontiers.
Ireland, in common with the other member states of the European Community, sees a particular cause for hope in the efforts of the Contadora Group of countries (Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela) to achieve a lasting peace in Central America. The fact that these countries all belong to the region itself will, I hope, contribute to the prospects of ultimate success in their efforts. There has recently, in September, been some progress by the Contadora Group towards reaching agreement with the countries of Central America on the principles that should govern relations between the countries of the region.
It was against this background that I stated the Government's policy in relation to Central America most recently at the United Nations General Assembly in the following terms:
The Irish Government and people continue to be deeply concerned at the tragic situation in Central America. We believe that the essential causes of conflict there are the long-standing inequities in social and economic conditions and the denial of the justified demands of the people for fundamental reform. This region has witnessed flagrant denial of human rights and the callous disregard by certain Governments for what is the very basis of morality and civilised social order — the fundamental dignity and worth of the human person. We are convinced that just and lasting solutions to the grave problems in Central America can only be achieved by political means through dialogue, conciliation and negotiation. It is for this reason that my Government particularly welcomes the efforts of the Contadora Group to achieve a lasting peace, 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.
Does the Minister meet regularly with priests and development agencies who have worked in Central America and listen to their representations? If so, is the Minister concerned about the very strong evidence linking the armed forces and the death squads in El Salvador?
I could not say that I personally meet regularly with people coming back from working in Central America but, of course, officers from my Department do and I get their reports. I am, of course, concerned. For us at this stage to start dictating to people would be wrong. I have laid down very clearly the basis for peace in Central America. The best hope for peace is the Contadora Group of countries because of their concern and interest in the countries of the region. They are the people on the spot and are accepted by the various countries. There has been a very slight hope in the last few months. This hope is engendered, firstly by the fact that the American Special Envoy — I cannot at the moment remember his name——
Richard Stone.
——Richard Stone — has been making efforts to meet the guerrilla groups in El Salvador. That is a small step forward. Another factor is the response which the Contadora Group got from President Castro of Cuba that he would pull out his advisers if the Americans did the same. There was a third factor which I cannot at the moment remember. Obviously, there are internal problems in each of the countries concerned, based on the deprivation of human rights over a long period of time. Even if a solution were found to the conflicts and outbreaks of violence there, a lot of work would remain to be done in terms of democracy and redressing the imbalance which exists in the societies in some of these countries. The Contadora Group are the best people to bring about that peace and subsequently to oversee it.
In connection with the recent visit to this country of Dr. Kissinger, who is now leading a commission investigating Central America, had the Minister an opportunity to explain to Dr. Kissinger our preoccupations in that respect?
I think that Dr. Kissinger's appointment was subsequent to his visit here, but I am open to correction on that. I did not have a chance to have a bilateral meeting with Dr. Kissinger when he was here, so I did not raise the point.
The Minister has given a fairly broad and useful reply to the question. Would he accept that one of the problem in relation to the situation in El Salvador is the failure to recognise the FDR/FLMN opposition there, which is a fairly broad opposition — the failure, internally and internationally, particularly with regard to Ireland, to recognise that opposition? Its recognition as an official opposition would help towards a solution. Has the Minister made strong representations to the United States of America concerning their manoeuvres in Honduras and on the coast of Nicaragua which have had a very destabilising effect in the region?
I think I have already said that one of the slightly hopeful signs to be seen in EI Salvador was the fact that Special Envoy Stone was now in the process of trying to set up a meeting with the opposition forces in that country. That could lead to more normalising of relations within the country. A balancing factor in that would be that the presidential election would go ahead as soon as possible, to give the people a chance to have a say in that. I said here in the Dáil, in Madrid and in New York when I spoke there last month on the problems in Central America that if the people there are going to be allowed to control their own destinies and manage their own economies and their own states there should be no outside interference from troops of any sort. I have no hesitation in repeating that anywhere at any time.
Positively a final question from Deputy Andrews.
My first question concerns the military manoeuvres being carried out in the Caribbean by the American forces. These are virtually blockading Nicaragua. Is the Minister aware that it appears that an invasion will take place in November across the Honduran border by the forces known as the Contras, the ex-Somoza national guardsmen? Secondly, is the Minister aware that at the 10th anniversary of Trócaire in Galway the Taoiseach met with Dr. Xaivier Gorostiaga and assured the professor of assistance and aid and of our sympathy, apart from assistance and aid, for the Nicaraguan Government in its present difficult times? Has the Minister had a conversation with the Taoiseach as a result of this meeting? Are his Department prepared to consider ways and means of bringing pressure to bear on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to get around the difficulties Nicaragua has in getting international loans.
I think the threat of an invasion has been denied on a number of occasions. I do not know which side to believe on that. As regards the Taoiseach's meeting with the Trócaire conference, he briefed me about that meeting and told me how impressed he was.
He did brief the Minister?
Yes, he briefed me about it. We are getting a series of papers ready for the Taoiseach in that regard and they will be submitted to him very shortly. I do not know that he promised them that.
He did not quite promise them.
He did not promise them material aid.
He did. He said he would consider it.
He did not promise them material aid. He said he would be glad to give any help he could. The whole House knows how concerned the Taoiseach is about the situation in Central America. I am not sure what help we could give to Nicaragua to enable them to get loans from the International Monetary Fund. I do not think that is a matter for my Department. I am willing to do anything, but we should not over-estimate the kind of influence we can bring to bear on anybody, or the help we could be to the countries of Central America. We can show our concern, but I am not sure that we can do much more in this regard. The primary concern is that the people of these countries should be allowed to manage their own affairs in a democratic way without outside interference.
If the House agrees, we can take Question No. 20 without supplementaries to facilitate Deputy Collins.