Vol. 362 No. 7
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government sought or received any briefing from either the United States or the Soviet Union, or both, on the outcome of the recent Geneva Summit; if he will give the Government's assessment of the prospects for nuclear disarmament and world peace following the Summit and if he will make a statement on the matter.
19.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit in Geneva and if he will outline the role and contribution that Ireland is making in the general area of nuclear disarmament.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 19 together. The Government welcome the outcome of the Geneva Summit between President Reagan and Secretary Gorbachev which we regard as a starting point for a more consistent and predictable super-power relationship.
It has been our consistent belief that a process or realistic dialogue between the United States and the Soviet Union is an essential prerequisite for more secure and stable international relations. Therefore, we attach particular importance to the agreement at Geneva on the Establishment of a framework for the US-Soviet dialogue by means of further summit meetings planned for 1986 and 1987, as well as by regular meetings of Foreign Ministers and by other high level contacts.
While we recognise the serious differences which persist between the two countries, we hope that the fresh start heralded by the Summit will have a positive impact on the overall climate of East-West relations. We hope, too, that it will provide the necessary impetus to progress both in the bilateral negotiations on nuclear and space weapons at Geneva, and in the multilateral negotiations taking place in other arms control and disarmament fora.
We are pleased that the two leaders have agreed to accelerate the peace of the negotiations at the Geneva talks and that they have endorsed the principle of reductions of 50 per cent in their strategic nuclear forces as well as the idea of an interim agreement on their medium range nuclear forces. We also note with satisfaction their declared intention to work with other interested countries to enhance the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime, as well as their commitment to advance the work at the Stockholm Conference on Confidence — and Security-building Measures and Disarmament in Europe and to accelerate efforts to conclude a convention to ban chemical weapons.
We have noted the generally positive assessment of the Summit given by representatives of both Governments who have briefed us at official level on the discussions. It is our hope that the meeting will lead to concrete progress, not only in the field of arms control and disarmament but also in all aspects of the relationship between the two countries and in the broader East-West dialogue, notably in the framework of the CSCE.
As regards Ireland's role and contribution in the general area of nuclear disarmament, the Deputy will be aware that successive Irish Governments have voiced their deep concern at the dangers inherent in the continued growth in armaments, both nuclear and conventional. We see reliance on nuclear weapons as a poor foundation for the maintenance of international peace and security. Within the United Nations framework we consistently pursue, to the extent possible, practical and realistic measures to halt the nuclear arms race. To this end we endeavour, together with other likeminded countries, to influence the nuclear weapons States to work towards arms control and reductions with a view to the achievement of complete and general disarmament.
Central to the Government's activity in the field of nuclear disarmament has been the promotion of the goals set out in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, namely to halt the nuclear arms race and to prevent the wider dissemination of nuclear weapons capability. In this respect the recently concluded Third Review Conference of the parties to the NPT has been a particular focus on the Government's efforts.
I addressed the opening session of this conference, which adopted a consensus final document to which the Irish delegation made a substantial contribution. In my address to the conference I proposed the introduction of a moratorium or freeze on nuclear testing by all the nuclear weapons States as a basis for, and as a concomitant to, negotiations on the conclusion of a comprehensive test ban treaty. The Government attach considerable importance to a CTBT which is the one disarmament measure singled out in the NPT. In our view, conclusion of such a treaty would make the further technical development of nuclear weapons more difficult and thus tend to reduce the emphasis on nuclear arms in international security. Moreover, it would prevent the emergence of new nuclear weapons States. At the conference Ireland also tabled an appeal on behalf of the non-nuclear weapons States to the nuclear weapons States parties to commence negotiations leading to the conclusion of a CTBT. The Irish delegation at the United Nations General Assembly continue to pursue these goals.
On occasion there is difficulty in hearing what the Minister is saying. Perhaps his microphone is not as good as it should be. The difficulty is more pronounced when a long reply is involved.
I am having difficulty in hearing the Deputy.
In the Minister's opinion, what are the chances of the achievement of a genuine arms reduction as a result of the Geneva Summit and are there any signs of progress at the Stockholm Conference following on the Geneva Summit?
The Geneva Summit took place only a couple of weeks ago so there would be no progress in the meantime beyond what was achieved up to then. On the prospect of a reduction in nuclear arms as a result of the Geneva Summit, all I can say is that the two Leaders have met. The briefing we received from the Ambassador here on behalf of the Soviet Union and from the US Under-Secretary of State who came to Ireland to brief us on behalf of the American Government, is that both Leaders are hopeful that the Summit will lead to some reduction in nuclear arms. Obviously, the fact that both men met and talked was an advance on what had been the case for some years up to then when they were not meeting or talking. The fact also that at the end of the meeting they both acknowledged that there were serious difficulties but that both expressed a determination to continue, both at foreign affairs level and at Government level, those meetings in 1986 and 1987 is an indication at least of their goodwill and, I believe, of their determination to bring about the reduction so much desired not only by the Deputy and I but by everyone else in the world in order to remove the threat of the appalling holocaust that hangs over all our heads as a result of the relationship between the two super-powers.
I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. Has he indicated to the US and to the Soviet Union also our concern about the peaceful use of space and about the development of the so called Star Wars?
Our concerns about nuclear weapons generally are well known to the two States involved as are our attitudes to SDI. Any attempt to increase the disastrously high level of all types of weapons in the world is a move in the wrong direction. We will exert any influence possible to bring about a reduction in and indeed the elimination of all kinds of weapons, whether nuclear or conventional, and we will do this essentially through the UN because that is the forum at which these matters can best be resolved but also in the Community where our voice is one in 12.
Would the Minister agree that the new draft treaty on political co-operation would render more difficult the putting forward of independent disarmament initiatives and in future will Ireland have to consult her EC partners who are all members of NATO, about any such initiative? Can the Minister say also when Ireland last took such an initiative?
I do not agree with that nor do I agree with the interpretation put on the agreement here yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition when he quoted selectively from the agreement reached on the previous day in Luxembourg. He omitted the third part of Article 8 which provides that nothing in the treaty shall stand in the way of closer co-operation in the field of security between certain of the high contracting parties in the frame of a western European union or of the Atlantic Alliance. That means clearly that anything in the area of defence will be discussed only in the context of western European union or of the Atlantic Alliance and that all other matters relating to political and economic security can be discussed only among the 12, according to this agreement.
