asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that the Government is doing everything within its power to influence the South African Government to change its policy of apartheid and to withdraw from Namibia.
11.
Written Answers. - South African Policy.
10.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the failure of the South African authorities to respond to international pressure to end its system of apartheid and particularly in view of the continued large-scale killing of black civilians by the South African security services, such as that at Uitenhage where 19 were killed, the Government will introduce economic and trade sanctions against South Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
A Cheann Comhairle, I propose taking Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
The House is well aware of the Government's abhorrence of the system of apartheid and of its opposition to the illegal occupation of Namibia by South Africa. I have spoken on a number of occasions on the subject of apartheid and have made clear that Government policy is to urge continually the need for peaceful change in South Africa and to support international action to bring this about. I have also made clear on several occasions the Government's view that South Africa should end its illegal occupation of Namibia and that the basis for a just and lasting settlement there is to be found in resolution 435 of the UN Security Council.
The Government consider that the imposition of effective mandatory sanctions against South Africa is a means of further increasing international pressure on South Africa to abandon its apartheid policies and to this end has supported the idea of the imposition by the UN Security Council of such sanctions. In 1984 Ireland co-sponsored a resolution to this effect at the UN General Assembly and has previously co-sponsored resolutions urging the importance of an oil embargo and a ban on new investment in South Africa. The Government believe that sanctions should be carefully chosen, graduated, properly imposed by the Security Council in accordance with the charter of the United Nations and fully implemented.
Ireland strictly enforces its international legal obligations under the UN Mandatory Arms Embargo on South Africa, established under Security Council Resolution 418 (1977). No arms or related material can be exported from Ireland to South Africa and the Government uses its licensing power to ensure that nothing is exported to South Africa which might be considered as suitable for military application.
The Government are working to achieve the peaceful ending of the system of apartheid in a number of ways. Internationally we regularly and thoroughly condemn apartheid in international for a such as the UN. Within the European Community we work with our partners to co-ordinate Ten policy against apartheid. We support, for example, the EC code of conduct for the subsidiaries of EC companies operating in South Africa. This code seeks to alleviate some of the features of apartheid in the work place. Nationally, as a matter of policy, the Government do not encourage trade or economic relations with South Africa. There is no Irish diplomatic representation in South Africa, nor any trade promotion activity there. No Irish semi-State body maintains offices in South Africa. The Government actively discourage sporting contact with South Africa. The Government also provide assistance to victims of apartheid on a bilateral basis as well as through the UN.
The Government will keep under review the various means of increasing pressure on South Africa to abandon the apartheid system and to grant independence to Namibia in accordance with the UN plan. They do not consider that a unilateral ban on Ireland's trade with South Africa is appropriate at the present time. The Government's view remains that, for such pressure to be effective, there should be international agreement on the measures to be taken such as the strengthening of the existing arms embargo, the introduction of an oil embargo and a ban on new investment in South Africa. The Government will continue to seek international agreement on the adoption of such effective measures.