asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's views on the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement's programme of action which includes a ban on the export of oil and the export of computers and electronic equipment to South Africa, the termination of all preferences for South African goods and expulsion of the South African Ambassador to the European Community.
Written Answers. - Action Against South Africa.
27.
I am familiar with the programme of action of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement. It contains a large number of proposals for taking further measures which could conceivably be adopted in order to apply pressure on South Africa for peaceful change. The Government consider that the most promising of these is promotion of a Community wide ban on imports of South African coal and of South African fruit and vegetables. This is why we continue to press among the Twelve for these measures. As far as the measures mentioned by the Deputy are concerned, a cessation on exports of oil to South Africa was one of the measures agreed on by the Twelve member states of the European Community in September 1985. Exports of computers and electronic equipment from Ireland are controlled with the aim of ensuring that they are not for use by the South African security forces. This is done by requiring Irish exporters to seek assurances to that effect from the South African purchasers before an export licence is issued by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. I would add that such a limitation on the supply of sensitive equipment to South Africa was among the measures agreed on by the Twelve in September 1985.
South African goods enjoy no preferences in trade with the Community, being treated in exactly the same way as exports from any other GATT signatory. The Government do not consider that advocacy by Ireland of expulsion of the South African Ambassador to the European Community would be an appropriate step to take at present.