asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise with the Bulgarian Government their treatment of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria; if he will impress upon them the Irish Government's wish to have this minority and their culture and traditions treated with respect; and if he will raise this matter at the next meeting of the European Foreign Affairs Council.
Written Answers. - Bulgarian Turkish Minority.
64.
The Government are concerned at the numerous reports of violations of the human rights of members of the ethnic Turkish community in Bulgaria and the discrimination they have suffered for seeking to preserve their culture and traditions. Since we do not have diplomatic relations of any kind with Bulgaria, we consider that the most appropriate way to make this concern known to the Bulgarian authorities is through the framework of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). At the Paris meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (30 May to 29 June 1989) and at the Sofia Meeting on the Environment (16 October to 3 November 1989), we voiced our concern at the treatment of this community and pressed the Bulgarian authorities for assurances that steps would be taken to ensure that all Bulgarians can enjoy their full human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Twelve have raised the matter with the Bulgarian Government in similar terms.
I also addressed the issue in my statement to the 44th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.