Vol. 377 No. 9
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland intends to co-sponsor the resolution to continue the mandate of the special United Nations representative to EI Salvador, who monitors the human rights situation and the prospects of peace in the country.
40.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland's representative at the United Nations will co-sponsor a motion for the extension of the mandate of the UN Special Representative to EI Salvador, whose specific role is to monitor progress on elimination of human rights violations in that country, particularly in view of the worrying reports of a marked increase in death squad activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 40 together.
We want to see the mandate of the Special Representative renewed and will do what we can, during the current session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva to ensure that this is done. As no draft resolution has yet been represented it is premature at this stage to consider the question of co-sponsorship.
Will the Minister take into consideration, when arriving at a decision, the recent increase in the activities of the death squad in EI Salvador and also the total contrast in the political atmosphere between EI Salvador and its neighbour, Nicaragua?
I take it that it is the view of every Deputy in this House that this is a matter of grave concern. There has been a gross deprivation of human rights. We are among the nations in the United Nations seeking to activate the United Nations in a positive way to renew and indeed strengthen the mandate of the UN special representative in the area. I agree that the area referred to by the Deputy and other areas in that region of the world are causing grave concern at present.
Would the Minister not agree that the purpose behind Questions Nos. 11 and 40 is a concern that EI Salvador's statement that because they are complying with the Arias initiative proposals — leaving aside any consideration of whether or not they are — those proposals are being used as a pretext for the withdrawal of the United Nations official? If such a position is represented at the meeting referred to in the questions, will it be the Minister's position to say that Ireland will support the continuing presence of the United Nations representative?
Yes, we would be very strongly on the side of supporting the United Nations presence in the area, indeed the continued and strengthened presence of the United Nations there.
Therefore, we will not allow any statements that the Arias proposals have made such presence redundant to interfere with the presence of the United Nations representative?
No, the two can be married together — the Irish proposals do not run counter to what the United Nations representative is doing or vice versa. There is no conflict of interest, as it were, between the Arias proposals and the presence of the United Nations there.
I am pleased to hear the Minister make that statement because it had been represented to us that representatives of the EI Salvadorean Government are claiming that there is such a conflict of interest. In view of what the Minister has said, would he now indicate to the House that our Government would be prepared to co-sponsor the motion when drafted, for the extension of the mandate of the United Nations representative?
We would have to see the motion first because, in this and many other areas, resolutions are sponsored and carry all sorts of overtones and undertones not really relevant or pertinent to settling the issues concerned but rather are designed to cause mischief. Subject to that I am suspending any judgment on what we will or will not co-sponsor until we see the shape of whatever resolution is proposed.
But the Irish Government are prepared to co-sponsor?
If there is a resolution proposed appropriate to what we see as a constructive way forward in the area.
